A Sunlit Aperture
by Loonystar
Summary: When a sudden upset Hermione Granger runs away from her house table, the Slytherin prince is curious to what could ever bother her. Could Draco make things worse? Or possibly turn Hermione's thoughts around and make everything better?
1. Sunlight

_**Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. I just began writing this because It's 4 in the morning and I can't seem to fall asleep. I realized I hadn't been on here in a very long time. I hope someone at least enjoys the beginning of this story. I'll have a new chapter up very soon. **_

* * *

**Chapter One: Sun light. **

Hermione Granger sat at her house table in the Great Hall Monday morning the fourth week of school. The enchanted ceiling revealed a bright blue sky, spotted with a few white clouds. The sun coming brightly through the window, at the Gryffindor table and her Ancient Runes book laid infront of her at the table. Pulling her curly, brown hair out of her face she turned the page and ignored the looks she received from her two best friends.

"Hermione, It's only the beginning of the day. What are you in the need to study for?" Harry Potter asked, who sat beside her eating his bowl of cereal. His jet black hair, rested messy on his hand and his glasses shimmered as the sun hit them. Ron Weasley, mumbled something under his breath as he continously piled his plate with sausage and eggs.

"I'm just enjoying extra reading. Something you two may try to do someday."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Right. Put the book down and have a normal breakfast with us for once."

"Yeah, please? You're always reading in the morning." Harry took the book from her hands and placed it beside him on the bench. "It's not so hard." Hermione stared at him for a moment, thinking of an attempt to reach for her book back. But instead, her stomach growled in hunger and she took a piece of toast from the plate in the center of the table. Harry and Ron began discussing the latest Qudditch match and Hermione just listened in.

It wasn't until middle of the conversation that Hermione felt as if she were being watched. Looking up, she met cold grey eyes from across the hall watching her very closely. He sat with his two hands resting under his chin, staring straight at her as the sun hit her invory skin. Hermione stared at Draco Malfoy until he eventually wrinkled his nose and looked away. The school bell rang, causing all the students and the teachers that sat at the staff table to gather their belongings to head to their first class of the day.

"Harry, did you grab my book?" asked Hermione, as they were half way down the corridor away from the Great Hall.

"No, sorry Hermione. I thought you would have grabbed it." she sighed.

"Go on then. I need that book. I'll meet you in class." she turned on her heel and quickly went through the crowd, back to the Great Hall. Opening the doors and walking quickly through she ran into somone, which caused the both of them to fall over. Hermione on top of her victim.

"Watch it!" said a similar voice, Hermione only knew to well. Hermione pulled her head up from the ground, looking into the pale blonde boy, grey eyes. They both stared at each other, their faces only merly inches away from one another. The perfect silence was broken, when Malfoy quickly came to his senses. "Granger! Get off of me!" Hermione cringed, as she quickly pulled herself up from the boy. "Watch where you're going. I'm going to have to go bathe now and buy a new set of robes!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Really, Malfoy? How would have I known that you were going to be in the Great Hall at this exact moment, to stay out of your way?"

"Mudblood!" he half shouted, as he shot a dirty look back in her direction as he began to walk away. Hermione half smiled, she enjoyed it when she knew he was irritated with her. Finding her Ancient Runes book on the bench Harry had left it on, she quickly paced her way up the stairs to Transfiguration. Malfoy nearly arrived moments before her, as she saw him entering the classroom when she turned the corner.

"I'm sorry, Professor." Hermione said, when she entered the classroom.

"Take a seat, Ms. Granger." Professor McGonagall said, her lips pursed. Throughout the class Hermione sat next to Ron rather closely as she noticed the sudden glares Malfoy sent her.

"'Mione, what's the matter?" asked Ron, when the bell rang.

"Nothing, I ran into Malfoy when I went back to my book and we fell down."

"Don't worry about him."

"I'm not, Ronald!" but all Hermione could think about was how even for a moment, she liked the feeling of being in Malfoy's arms.

* * *

"Earth to Hermione Granger!" Ginny Weasley said, snapping her fingers infront of her face as they sat at their house table in the Great Hall for lunch.

"What?" Hermione said as she pulled away from her day dreams. The rest of the morning till lunch had been the slowest morning for Hermione. she couldn't concentrate in her classes, as the only think she could seem to think about was the encounter with Draco. She frowned, it was the last thing she wanted to ever think about and worst of all, she didn't know how to tell Ginny. After all the time, she went with Ron, trying in her own way to start a relationship with him. Which never seemed to work right.

"What's the matter with you? You've been spaced out all morning."

"Sorry. I just have been thinking."

"Oh god, don't say anything now. Here comes Carmen." Ginny sighed. Carmen, was a fifth year that was in love with Ron. She seemed to be worse the Lavender Brown and never left Ron alone.

"Oh, Ronald!" Carmen said, when she skipped down the table. Hermione pulled a book out, in attempts to ignore the poor girl. Ginny only smirked, and pretended to be more fascinated in her lunch.

Hermione and Ginny both were doing a decent job at ignoring the annoying girl sitting across from them, untill Ron kissed Carmen on the cheek. Hermione shot a look at Ginny.

"I don't know either!" Ginny whispered to her, when they both looked to Harry to see the same confused look on his face.

"Guys, Carmen and I have something to tell you." Ron said, loud enough for the Harry and the two girls to here.

"What?" Harry said, when the others didn't say anything.

"Carmen and I are offically together." Carmen giggled in happiness. Hermione suddenly gathered her belongings and ran out of the Great Hall, a pair of grey eyes following her.

"Ronald! How can you be so dense!" Ginny said, leaving the table.

"What?" said Ron, in confusing as he stared at the door till Ginny was no longer seen.

"I don't know mate."

Hermione continued to run until she arrived at Hogwarts grounds. She walked until she arrived at her tree that was infront of The Black Lake. In frustration, Hermione threw her bookbag down on the ground and fell to her knees and began to silently cry. She couldn't believe that Ron would date a girl like Carmen.

* * *

When seeing the sudden upset Hermione, Malfoy quickly rose from his table and followed her out to the grounds. He didn't understand why he had the urge to see what was the matter with the girl. He continued to walk, until he heard the quiet sobs coming from the tree near the lake. He stood motionless, as he watched the beautiful muggle-born, crying to herself. Then before he could realize what he was about to do to stop himself, he walked closer to her.

"Beautiful girls like yourself, shouldn't be alone and crying."

"Go - " before she could finish her sentence, she looked up.


	2. The beginning of the letters

_**Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't very good. I was just trying to get in down before I got too tired and forgot what I wanted to have in this chapter. **_

* * *

**Chapter Two: the beginning of the letters.  
**

_"Beautiful girls like yourself, shouldn't be alone and crying."_

_"Go - " before she could finish her sentence, she looked up. _"Malfoy? What do you want?" he stared at her, wondering why he had followed her out the school to the grounds.

"I came to see whats the matter with the Gryffindor princess." he said quietly, sitting down when he saw two people wondering near by. He knew the tree would had covered the view of him. After all, he couldn't be seen with a muggleborn.

"Why Malfoy, would you come to see what is bothering me? You would just love to know what is bothering me so you and you're _lovely_ friends can have something to laugh about." she stood up from her spot. "Now if you will excuse me."she turned away from him.

"You're wrong, Granger." Hermione looked over from her shoulder, down at him. "Now sit down." she turned to face him and looked straight at him.

"No."

"You know nothing. For your information, unlike you, I don't have friends. I have to be civil with the people I am with now because of my father. Now, sit down. " he said very calmly. After a moment passed Hermione doing what she was told, took her seat at the root of the tree. She didn't look at Malfoy as he pulled himself up to sit beside her, but continued to look at the The Black Lake and the waves pushing against the shore line. The sun causing the waves to sparkle and she smiled.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she finally said, when he hadn't said a word.

"Girls like you, should not be running around crying."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"You heard what I said a few minutes ago.. When someone is as beautiful as you, you shouldn't have anything to cry about. You have everything."

"Beautiful? Malfoy, I'm a mudblood remember? I'm not beautiful. I'm scum to the wizardary world. I have plently of things to be upset about. I need to go."she stood up once again.

"A Malfoy never lies."

Hermione chuckled. "Are you positive about that?"

"You may be a mudblood, but that doesn't stop you from being beautiful. You aren't scum, I've only said those things to keep you away. But, since my father is in Azkaban. I can do as I please, along with wanting what I want. " he paused, as she turned away from him. _"Hermione."_ he said half whispering as she closed her eyes. "Have a good day. Don't cry anymore, or I'll come find you again."

She bit her lip, "Bye, Draco."

Hermione left Draco sitting at the tree and he watched her until he couldn't see her any longer when she entered through the school doors. He laid on the ground, his hands behind his head wiht his eyes closed. He smiled as a fresh idea came to mind. He wanted Hermione Granger as he always had since the beginning of his first year. When you have an outstanding witch and wizard, they belong together. Hermione was the best of his year, him in second. Harry Potter never counted in his mind.

He stood up, making his way to the dungeons to have start in his master plan, before potions class began.

* * *

Hermione sat quietly in the back of the potions classroom, the thought of the conversation with Draco still in her mind. Had he really meant it when he said she was beautiful? She didn't understand him at all. Just that morning he had called her mudblood again. What was the sudden urge for him to want to come in her life and make her feel better. Even though it may have worked, she still couldn't find a way to explain it.

"'Mione, what's going on?" Harry whispered, when Snape sat at his desk infront of the room.

"Nothing, Harry. I'm fine."she said quietly, continuing to copy the notes from the board.

"Hermione, I know when something is wrong with you. Why else would you have ran out of the Great Hall this morning? Talk to me." she glanced over to Ronald, who sat beside Dean at the end of the table. "It's because of Carmen, isn't it? Ron doesn't undesrstand anything. He doesn't know you have feelings for him."

"I used to have feelings for him, Harry. Not anymore. Someone today helped me realize that there are better men out there for me. " she looked at Draco from the corner of her eye. To see him too, glancing over to her with a smirk on his face. She quickly looked away.

"Helped? Who helped you?"

"That doesn't matter. If Ronald Weasley is happy with that-" she stopped herself before she could insult her. "-with this Carmen Nichols... Then I'm happy for the both of them!" she sighed through her nose. "Harry. I'm honestly okay. Now copy the notes, or you'll regret it later when we have to make this potion."

For the rest of class, they sat quietly beside each other copying the notes. Hermione every once in awhile looked over to Draco, who would glance over to her and look away. When the bell rang, she gathered her things and left before Harry, Ron or Draco could catch up to her. She searched around every corridor, until she reached the enterance of the library, finding the one person she wanted to speak with.

"Ginny. I've been looking everywhere for you!" said Hermione reaching to Ginny and pulling her hand to walk with her.

"What's the matter?" asked Ginny, when Hermione kept a hold of her arm. "Hermione, talk to me!"

"Ginny, I need to tell you something, that you can't even tell Harry." Ginny nodded, as she was pulled into an empty classroom. "When I left the Great Hall today during lunch I went to the Lake and sat there."

"Okay, why can't I tell Harry this?"

"That's not it, Ginny. When I was down there... Someone had been looking for me and he started talking about all these crazy things about how he thought I was beautiful and I should never cry and I think he was saying that he basically wanted me at one point.. Ginny, I'm so confused!"

"What?! Who are we talking about? Well of course Hermione, you are really beautiful! That shouldn't have been a shock to hear. Who is this?"

"You promise you aren't going to tell anyone?"

"Hermione, I promise! Who do you think I am?"

"I know, i know!" Ginny stated at the confused girl, waiting for her to continue. "It... It was Draco Malfoy."

Ginny scratched the top of her head. "Say that again."

"Ginny!"Ginny sat down at the nearest chair.

"I really think you should tell me what happened, Hermione. Which means, start from the bloody beginning. Draco Malfoy? Are you mad? Have you lost your brilliant mind?"

"You're just as confused as I am! When I went to the lake, I was sitting there when someone came from behind me and had said something along the lines of _'Beautiful girls like yourself shouldn't be crying.' _I thought he had just came to bother me more and make me more miserable so I tried to leave but he wouldn't let me. I didn't really think much of it until he said he really did think I was beautiful and now that his dad was in Azkaban, he could do what he pleased along with wanting what he wanted."

"So, just over night he turned into a gentleman? What about the rest of the time where we had to put up with him trying to ruin our lives? Did he try to explain that one?!"

"He mentioned the reason why he was cross with me in the past was because he was trying to keep me away..."

"Well, his dad is in Azkaban. Do you really think.. I don't know, 'Mione. I've never seen the good side of that ferret."

"I'm kind of glad he did come find me today though.. Even if he is a ferret he still made me feel a little better." she smiled.

"Well, I'm sure I could have done that! Come on, lets go get some dinner. I'm starving."

* * *

Hermione took her seat beside Harry and Ginny sat across from her. Looking over to the Slytherin table she noticed the grin Malfoy had on his face. He stared straight at her until a grey owl sat infront of her. Looking at the addressed envelope it read, _Hermione Granger._

"Who is that from?" asked Ron when the Hermione detached the envelope from the owls leg.

"Mind your business." Ginny said, staring at the envelope. "Who is it from?" she whispered.

"I don't know, it doesn't say..."

"Well! Open it!"

She tore the envelope open and began to read the elegant writing that was written across the parchment.

_Dearest Hermione,_

_From the first day I laid eyes on you, I had thought of you to be one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. _

_You are a truly remarkable witch and I hope that somehow, you can forgive me from all the terrible things I have _

_done to you in the past. I hope that we can one day become friends. _

_Yours truly, _

_xoxo.  
_

Hermione gapped as she re read the letter several times, it wasn't signed but she could take one guess to who the letter was from. Staring at Draco, he refused to look over at her. She hated to admit the feeling she had in her stomach but she had truly hoped the letter was from him.

"Hermione, is it from _him?_" asked Ginny when she finished reading it. "Maybe I was wrong.. Maybe he does have a nice side afterall."


	3. Only the beginning

_**Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

* * *

**Chapter Three: only the beginning  
**

Trying to keep away from the blonde Slytherin boy was the hardest thing Hermione attempted to do for the rest of the week. She kept the piece of parchment addressed to her in the front pocket of her robes. Playing with the edges of the paper when she walked to her classes and when she sat trying to concentrate during classes.

Hermione now was sitting at the back of the library, trying to be alone to study. The sun was traveling down the horizon, and the yellow light came through the the window giving Hermione the little light she needed. Books were placed around the table infront of her. Lose strands of her curly hair hung in front of her face as she blew them out of her eyes when she looked up to stare at one of the books. _The Mystery Letter _was placed near the end of the table.

"Good evening." said a gently voice, that came from the edge of the table. Hermione glanced up, looking up to the boy from the corner of her eye, causing her to almost jump. Hiding in the library wasn't the best idea she had. The one that she tried to stay away from, stood infront of her frowning when he noticed her discomfort.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"she asked calmly, returning back to her notes.

"Nothing. May I sit with you?" his eyes traveled around infront of her, taking notice of the note that was addressed to her, he smiled before she return her gaze on him.

"I guess I have no choice." he shrugged his shoulders and took the seat beside her.

"You never wrote back." he said opening his book and pretending to read it.

"What are you talking about?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You know what I'm talking about." he said, pointing to the parchment on top of the parchment.

"It really was you? Well, if you want me to write back you should have signed it."

"Well, for being the brightest witch of our age, I would have guessed for you to simply figure it out that I wrote it." he reached for the parchment and opened it. Looking over it, he signed at the bottom.

_DM _

"Please write back tonight." he said, standing up. "Goodnight, Granger." she stared after him as he exited the library. She hadn't even thought to what she could say in response to him. Gathering her books and packing her school bag, she quickly left the library to walk to the Gryffindor common room.

"There you are!" Ginny's voice came as soon as Hermione walked through the portrait. Ginny sat at the sofa infront of the fire with her potions book placed in her lap. "I need help with my potions essay and I was wondering if you could help me?"

"Yes, but you need to help me first." responded Hermione taking the empty space beside Ginny.

"With what?"

"Malfoy." she whispered.

"Why would you need help with him?"

"He found me tonight in the library."

"Of course he did, Hermione. You partically live there."

"He asked me why I hadn't wrote back to him yet. When he left he told me to write back tonight."

"Well, what are you waiting for?!" exclaimed Ginny, taking Hermione's school bag and taking her quill and parchment out. "Go on."

"Ginny, I don't know what to say to him."

"Just begin to write! You'll think of something."

Hermione walked over to the small table that was in the corner of the common room. Biting the end of her quill, she pulled out the letter from Malfoy. After a moment of thought, Hermione began to write.

_Draco, _

_I'm not quite sure what you expect me to write you. I do hope this isn't some sort of practical joke for the_

_Slytherins either, Draco Malfoy. I never would have thought you would ever give me a compliment. Did you _

_have to get someone else to write those for you? Well Draco, I do hope you are having a wonderful evening._

_HG  
_

"Harry, would you mind if I borrow Hedwig?" asked Hermione, when she spotted Harry in the center of the room playing Wizards Chest with Dean Thomas.

"No, go ahead." he said, his eyes never leaving the checkered board. Hedwig flew from the back of the chair she had once been sitting on, to Hermione's arm when she placed it out.

"Please find Draco Malfoy and give this to him, Hedwig." whispered Hermione. "He's somewhere around here." Placing the letter on Hedwig's right foot, Hermione watched her take off through the window close to the Black Lake. She sighed in relief, going back over to the couch that Ginny awaited at. Closing her eyes, her mind replayed the afternoon Malfoy found Herminoe at her favorite spot to see what had been bothering the beautiful Gryffindor princess.

The fire crackled and Hermione stirred in the couch. Hedwig flew in through the opened window and landed on the couch. Hermione woke up, staring around the empty common room. Ginny had left a note where she had once been sitting at.

_You looked so peaceful and comfortable that I didn't want to wake you. Besides, you study to much and never sleep as you should. -Ginny_

Hedwig put her foot out to a new letter. A response from Malfoy.

_Hermione, _

_I didn't expect you to write about something in specifically. You could write about anything you would _

_like. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't a practical joke between the Slytherin's and I. To be honest, _

_ever since my father has been in Azkaban, I haven't really spoken to much of any of them. Hopefully they _

_realize I'm not in any rush to follow in my father's foot steps. I actually want to have a future. Why can't_

_ you believe that I meant the compliments I gave you? You should know that I don't typically say compliments,_

_ so saying any to anyone is hard, so you sit there and laugh about it. _

_DM_

_p.s; I am infact having a wonderful evening. I hope you are too. _

Hermione rolled her eyes as she finished the letter. Smiling, she put the new letter in her pocket and comforted herself on the couch once again, and dozed off.


	4. Dinner invite

_**Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

* * *

**Chapter four: Dinner invite  
**

"Hermione! You slept through breakfast!" said Ginny, when she walked in the common room. She slightly shook Hermione to pull her away from her dreams.

"Go away-" she said sleepily, trying to turn around on the couch to return to sleep.

"If you don't wake up, you'll sleep trough potions!" Hermione at once grabbed the front of her robes for Malfoy's new letter.

"Malfoy.." she whispered.

"Yes! Exactly that's why you need to go now!"

Hermione rushed up to the Girl's dormitory, changing her clothes as quickly as she could Rushing to the empty common room, Hermione grabbed her school bag and ran out the protrait hole.

"Granger! You are late! Ten points from Gryffindor!" barked Snape, as she stood up from his chair. "I do not accept tardiness. Now. Sit. Down." Hermione felt her face heat up. She sat at the end of the table beside Harry, who was frowning.

"where were you this morning?" asked harry, leaning closer over to her.

"I fell asleep on the couch last night and Ginny left me there."

"Maybe if you slept when you should, you wouldn't have that sort of problem." he said, with a small smile.

Hermione stared at him in annoyance and sighed. Running the tips of her fingers across the letter she hadn't replied to yet, she pulled it out. Professor Snape had requested they continue taking notes. Hermione looked at the front board then over to Malfoy. He sat at his sit, not paying attention to his surroundings.

_Draco,_

_You are currently sitting infront of me, not paying attention to anything. To inform you, I don't like _

_potions. I can't believe Snape took ten points away from my house. I'm glad to hear that you aren't_

_friends with people in your house; No offense. Most of them are not nice. You look nice today._

_-HM  
_

Draco looked over his shoulder, pretending as if he were stretching and looked at Hermione quick enough to make eye contact and a small smile. Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she looked away.

* * *

"Hermione." whispered Ginny at the table during lunch.

"Hm?" said Hermione, twirling the food with her fork.

"Did you write back to him?" she asked, Hermione nodded. "And?"

"He replied before I fell asleep. I sent my response just before I came here."

"I hope you know he has been staring at you since he walked in."

"What?" Hermione immediately looked up to make eye contact with the beautiful blonde Slytherin. She blushed and Malfoy raised an eyebrow and went back to reading the letter he held in his hands.

"What did you say back to him?"

"It was rather short. I was in potions when I wrote it. I had mentioned my dislike for potions and that I was glad he wasn't friends with the ones in Slytherin because they aren't very nice. Also that he looked good today. I'm sure he will just love that I said that. Ha!"

"He must have enjoyed that." Ginny rolled her eyes. "I want updates. So keep me informed. I have to go to the library now. Professor Binns is being ridiculous! See you tonight."

Hermione waved at her friend as she walked away. Taking a sip of her pumpkin juice, Hermione looked over the rim of her goblet and made eye contact with Malfoy again. Smirking, she grabbed her school bag and left the Great Hall.

"Granger!" she heard as she began to walk up the stairs. Turning around, Malfoy ran up to her. "Here." he said handing a new letter to her. "Hopefully see you later." he said turning around and leaving her standing there confused. As she began to walk the stairs and they moved further to the third floor, she began to read the letter.

_Hermione, _

_Potions is a bore to me. Most of the potions in the class i've already made before  
__because of my father. I'm curious to why you were late for potions? Snape just  
__doesn't like the golden trio. You may not like my house, but i'm not very fond of  
__the people in your house either. Most of you are stuck up. No offence. Thank you  
__for the compliment, you look nice too; as always. I was wondering. Instead of having  
__dinner in the Great Hall... Would you like to have dinner with me? If so, meet  
__me at our tree. Hopefully see you tonight. _

_-DM_

Dinner with Malfoy? Hermione could only imagine how that would turn out. Smiling, she rushed to her next class to begin to write back. As Defense Against the Dark Arts class began, everyone remained silent for the lesson while Professor Willough prowled up and down the row of desks, as he glanced down to the work that the students were doing. Hermione was, of course, the first one finished. Taping her quill impatiently, as she had half the class left to waste. Professor Willough walked up to her, slightly flustered that no matter how difficult she thought the work to be for the class, Hermione managed to always finish midway throughout the class.

"Finished, Hermione?" asked Professor Willough.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Brilliant. Now stop tapping your quill. Do something to keep yourself occupied." she said, taking Hermiones work. Putting her round glasses on, she began to look over Hermione's work.

"I was actually wondering if I could go to the library to study." said Hermione quietly.

"Yes, very well." going to her desk infront of the room to write Hermione a note to be excused from class; Hermione packed her school bag.

Hermione walked through the corridors very slowly. For once in her time being at Hogwarts she didn't actually want to go to the library. She only wanted to think about things. Draco Malfoy wanted to have dinner. Promising her that he wanted a friendship with her was hard to imagine. From the many years in the past, the insults he always had to say to her. But thr feelings that she always had when Malfoy would just look in her direction, made her heart race. Taking a seat in the back of the library, at her corner table she pulled out parchment and her favorite quill to write Malfoy his response.

_Draco,_

_I suppose the proper thing to do is to accept your dinner invitation. But I'm not  
sure if I should. Which you should probably know why, for obvious reasons....  
I guess meet me at our tree during dinner. I'll have to walk Ginny to the Great  
Hall first, then I'll be down. Well, I'll see you tonight. Classes end shortly._

_-HG_

Rushing to the owlery to have one of the barn owls find Malfoy, so she didn't have to find him herself, she tied the the letter to the owl and sent him off.

* * *

"Ginny! Oh, Ginny." said Hermione when she sat on the ground infront of the couch. Ginny who was sitting on the couch, flipping through a book placed it down, coming down to the floor with Hermione.

"What is it?" she asked finally when Hermione didn't say anything else.

"Malfoy wants to have dinner with me." she blurted out.

"What?! Did you say no?"

"No! I told him I didn't know if I should or not but I ended up telling him that I'd walk with you to the Great Hall then meet with him."

"Hermione.. Do you have a crush on Draco Malfoy?!" whispered Ginny excitedly. Hermione only blushed.

"No, I don't! What.. What about Ron?!"

"What about him? He is a prat that is only stuck up annoying girls-"

"Ginny!"

She grinned, "What? I'm only saying.. Don't worry about Ronald, Hermione. Do what you think will make you happy."

"Please dont tell Harry or Ron. Please?"

"I wont. I promise, but you will have to tell the one day. You know?"

"Yes.. One day I will tell them."

"Why wont you tell them now?"

"Well, because Ronald is a foul git and for Harry wouldn't understand. He would just assume that Malfoy is an a seecret mission."

"But his father is in Azkaban, that was the only reason why he had been the way he was before."

"I know, he doesn't want to be like his father. He even said he doesn't have friends in his house anymore."

"It's been a year now. I think Harry might understand."

"I know, I just dontwant to risk that yet.. Not just yet."

"I think if you told him, he might accept the friendship.. Dinner is soon. Let's get you prepared!" Ginny took Hermione's hand and dragged herstairs.

In the process of getting Hermione ready, they tamed her curls so they fell down to her shoulders in soft elegant curls. She wore dark blue jeans with her black ballet flats that she hardly ever wore. Then a green long sleeve shirt that buttoned up completely.

"You look amazing! He will fall in love the moment he sees you!" said Ginny grinning. "My work is complete."


	5. Dinner Kiss

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

acelili**:**** I'm sorry for leaving the last chapter where I did. Hopefully this makes up for it?**

* * *

**Chapter five: A dinner kiss  
**

"You really think I look okay?" asked Hermione when Ginny finishing with her last touch to Hermione's hair.

"No, I think you are beautiful." she said, smiling. "You look great, go look at yourself in the mirror." Hermione stood up from the chair that she had been sitting in and walked over to the wall with the mirror. Looking at it, she looked at herself.

"Ginny, you are brilliant!" she said, running her fingers through her hair. It was in the perfect curls down past her shoulders. The little blush and mascara did the trick to bring out the features in her face.

"I know!" she beamed. "Well lets head down. Dinner already started. The walked down the stairs to the common room. Hermione turned heads around as she walked with Ginny down the corridor. Hermione had neve felt so comfortable with her appearance until now."Are you nervous?" Ginny asked.

"What? Me nervous? Of course not." she said, not looking over to Ginny, who watched her.

"You so are! It's okay Hermione. You can admit it to me."

"Okay, I'm a little bit nervous. I'm not sure what's going to happen."said Hermione as they made it to the Great Hall doors.

"It will be alright. I'll meet you in the common room later so you can fill me in with everything that happened. Good luck!" she said, walking through the doors. Hermione breathed in heavily, before turning around and walking out the doors to the grounds. She walked slower then normal. Thoughts of what could happen running through her mind. What if it were a trick? Or some sort of trap? She could be walking into something that could change her life.

She knew that wasn't close to answering her questions when she made it closer to the tree. She saw Malfoy sitting there, reading a book. Surrounding him, was a large blanket on the ground, with candles floating around him and a picnic basket at the other end of the blanket. He read his book quietly, his brows close together as he was concentrating. The moon light reflected off the Black Lake in the most perfect way possible and hitting his pale face, making Hermione be in awe by his beauty.

"Hermione." he said in a shy tone. He put his book down beside him and looked at her in surprise. He studied her closely. "Do you normally always look like this out of school uniform?"

"Why?"

"Because you look even more beautiful." she smiled. Noting to thank Ginny for her briliant work again.

"You didn't have to do all of this." she said, looking around her.

"I know I didn't. But Malfoy's always go out of our ways to impress people." he smirked. "I wanted to do this anyway. I've never had a romantic date."

"Oh, well in that case. It's completely acceptable." she said down beside him. "It looks great by the way."

"Great! Let's eat.. I'm already hungry." he opened the basket and pulled out two goblets, spelled them to fill up with pumpkin juice and gave one to Hermione. Then he pulled out two plates filled with food and gave her one too. Placed with, potatoes, corn and a some sort of noodles, the smell of the delicious food came to her nose and her stomach growled. "I also have dessert if you would like some. Chocolate cake." he smiled. Chocolate was the way to get to most girls.

"What kind of noodles are these? its delicious." asked Hermione when they began to eat.

"They are Alfredo noodles. I actually had some when I went to America once when my dad had to travel there. I've been obsessed with them since."

"I love it." they continued to eat in silence and it didn't bother either one of them. They were already comfortable with one another. Hermione felt as if she were going to explode when she finished her plate of food.

"Would you like dessert?" he asked when taking her plate.

"I think I'm okay without it. I'm so full."

"At least try a bit of it, it's amazing." he took the plate out and pulled a fork from the picnic basket. Using it to take a peice of the cake he held it up for Hermione to eat it. "It taste amazing doesn't it?" he asked when she swallowed. She nodded.

"Draco, can I ask you a question?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Sure."

"What really made you come out that day I ran out of the Great Hall?"

"I knew you were upset. I had known that Weasel was dating that annoying girl.. I was only concerned about you, I felt the need to come make sure you were okay. I've always noticed Hermione, when you are upset you always came here to this spot or up at the astronomy tower; because I too, do the same thing."

"Why haven't you ever said anything to me before when you've seen me?"

"My father... Word gets around to him. No matter what it is. If I had spoken to you before he would have tortured me or worse, came to you and done the same. I do love my father, because he hasnt always been the way he has acted the past couple of years. When I was growing up, he was a normal father, showed that he loved me and my mother. Once I started coming to Hogwarts and Voldemort was trying to find ways to return, things changed and he was never the same."

"I'm sorry, Draco."

"I did what my father told me too because I would have suffered the coincidences if not. Then when he was sent to Azkaban, I was angry for a long while.. I had been so used to attempting to making others miserable so I felt better about myself."

"Which is why you still call me mudblood." she said quietly.

"I haven't done that since last year!" said Draco, defending himself.

"You did the other morning when we knocked each other down."

"I didn't mean too! I wasn't thinking clearly. You after all did knock me over and land on top of me. " Hermione blushed and rolled her eyes. I do apologize."

"It is alright. I guess I can forgive you this one time."

"Well thank you, I suppose I can feel honored this once.. We probably should head back to the castle though. It's getting late." Hermione frowned, she didn't want to depart from Draco just yet. "We should do this more." he said quietly, when they stood up.

"Have dinner with each other?" she tried not to smile, to show that she would have enjoyed that more then eating at the Great Hall with her friends.

"That too. But being able to talk to each other. I've never had anyone actually listen to me about something important. I like the feeling. Plus, you need to tell me more about yourself." he took the blanket and basket and held it in his one hand. "Come on. I'll walk you up."

They walked in comfortable silence, Hermione glancing over to him when she knew he wasn't paying attention. Every second spent with him, she felt she was growing to like him more. Draco caught her once looking up to him and with that, he took his free hand and laced his fingers with hers.

* * *


	6. Secret

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

**I'm sorry for the title of the last chapter. I forgot to change it. Haha I had planned to have the kiss in that chapter but at last minute I had changed my mind. Hope you are enjoying the story. I'm writing it in the best form i see it. **

**By the way, have you lot seen Harry Potter 6? I've seen it for the second time today. As you can tell, I'm a huge fun of Draco. Only because I adore Tom Felton completely. Everytime I see it, the part where Draco is sitting there in the bathroom crying makes me wish I could just give him a hug and be there for him. I love him!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Six: Secret  
**

By the time Hermione finally made it to the seventh floor to the portrait hole the corridors were empty. When Draco and her entered the large oak doors, entering to Hogwarts they went their separate ways. He had squeezed her hand tightly before letting go. She could still feel the squeeze on her hand.

"About time, Hermione!" said Ginny, sitting at her usual spot infront of the fire. "I've been waiting here forever."

"Sorry.. We lost track of time." said Hermione, flopping down beside Ginny as she smiled.

"How was it? Tell me everything." she said excitedly.

"It was amazing! I get to the tree and he is sitting there reading a book. Surrounding him are candles floating around, his a blanket on the grass and a picnic basket waiting for us. It was the perfect date."

"What else happened?" she asked, her hand under her chin, staring at Hermione as if she were daydreaming the entire dinner in her head.

"We talked about his father and the reasons to why he was a foul git to me all these years." she frowned, but smiled after a moment. "He also held my hand when we walked back to the castle."

"No good night kiss?!" Hermione shook her head. Ginny frowned in disappointment. "He's lucky everything else seemed to work out perfectly because if he didn't the date would have been ruined."

"I know!" a tap came from the window, closest to where Hermione sat. Looking over, they saw a large grey owl waiting at the window. When Hermione opened the window she saw the elegant writing that she was becoming so familiar with.

_Hermione, _

_I wanted to say thank you for the wonderful evening. I'm glad _

_you listened to part of my sad life story. you looked wonderful_

_tonight too. Tomorrow after dinner I was wondering if you would_

_like to meet up with me again to the astronomy tower? Do you _

_think that we should also keep our friendship a secret from _

_others?_

_-DM_

"What did he say, Hermione?" asked Ginny. Hermione read the letter quietly to her. When she finished reading, Ginny had a large grin on her face. "Hermione, he has to like you.. No one would ask to see the girl again if they didn't."

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing? He was so convincing when we were eating too.. I really believe he isn't like his father, as everyone put him out to be."

"Well, Hermione. He would never act this way toward you now, if not. He would still be the same Malfoy."Hermione nodded in agreement. She wanted to believe Ginny and she did.

"Remember, no telling Ron or Harry." Ginny sighed, but then too nodded.

_Draco, _

_You are welcome. I had a wonderful time too. I'm also impressed that you _

_opened to me so willingly. I was glad for that. I can always listen when _

_you need a pair of ears. I will head straight to the astronomy tower after_

_ dinner. I was thinking the same thing also.I'm not sure Harry and Ron _

_ would approve of me befriending as they still think you have_

_ a bit of an evil side in you. Ginny knows about our friendship though. She_

_has promised she wouldn't tell anyone. _

_-HG_

She sent her reply with the grey owl. "Let's head to bed." Ginny said quietly. "You know who is fairly cute?" Hermione shoke her head.

"Ginny! What about Dean?!" exclaimed Hermione, as they stood up from the couch.

"He was getting slightly annoying."

They walked up the tower to their beds. Their voices muffled as they continued up the stairs.

* * *

"Hermione! Wait up!" called Harry from behind her as she walked to breakfast the following morning. Hermione turned around as he ran up to her, catching his breath.

"Oh, where is Ronald? I figure you would be defending him instead of me when I was the one hurt." said Hermione, slightly angry. She stared at him for a moment, before turning back around to walk away.

"He is sorry, Hermione. He just doesn't know how to say it to you."

"It's pretty simple actually. All he has to do is say, _I'm sorry Hermione. _Why can't he manage to get that through is thick skull."

"I'm sorry too." Hermione rolled her eyes. "He knows you like him. I just don't think he realized what to do, because he likes you a lot too."

"So by that, he goes out and gets a girlfriend. Thanks Harry. I know you are trying to help, but it wouldn't work if I were still upset about it. I've moved on to a far more intelligent.. _gorgeous_, person anyway."Harry looked a taken back.

"Who is this person then?" he asked, very concerned.

"That really doesn't matter, Harry." she smirked to him, thinking about the boy she mentioned before storming away.

"She's going mental.." mumbled Harry, before following Hermione to the Great Hall. When Harry turned the corner, Draco came from the corner where he had heard the two arguing and came to listening. Smiling from what Hermione had mentioned, he left the corner and followed to the Great Hall.

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table, Ginny sitting between her and Harry. She had to of known that Harry would have in some form taking Ron's side since Ron has been his best mate since the beginning of his Hogwart's life. She didn't eat and continuously stared at her plate trying to think of something to do so she could run off before her first class began.

"Hermione? There is a paper plane coming toward you." whispered Ginny, as she watched the airplane swirl into the direction of Hermione. Glancing over to Draco, who sat still at the Slytherin table, watched the airplane very carefully. When the airplane reached Hermione, she grabbed it, unfolding it held the next letter of Draco's.

_Hermione,_

_well that's very good then. Blaise knows about our friendship but he has sworn not _

_to tell anyone. He was the one that told me I should write you the first letter anyway._

_ Which, by the way, Blaise has been annoying me to ask you if there would be anyway _

_you would be able to introduce him to Ginny? Seems he has a little crush on the _

_Weaslette. As for you, thank you very much. When ever you need someone to listen._

_ I'm always opened ears too. Hope you have having a good afternoon. We get to see each _

_other in a few hours._

_-DM_

"Ginny!" said Hermione, unsure to be excited for the girl or to warn stared at her in confusion and before she could say anything. "How do you feel about Blaise Zabini?"

"Blaise? I think he is incredibly attractive! Why do you ask?" Hermione handed the letter to Ginny, biting the tip of her thumb as she waited. Ginny looked over to Hermione, her face growing red. "Please introduce us! I would love you forever!" Hermione frowned, unsure of what to do.

"I suppose I could. I'll talk to him about it tonight." whispered Hermione, when she saw that Harry was bringing his head closer into their conversation. "I'm going to the library since people enjoy listening to perfect confessions."Hermione left, quietly only to write Draco a quick response. She could hear the yells that Ginny began to Harry as she walked out.

_Draco, _Hermione began to write. After she found an empty classroom that wasn't going to be used anytime soon, she sat at the nearest desk with her quill and parchment already out.

_The entire Blaise and Ginny thing may work out fairly well. I let Ginny read what _

_you had said to her and she nearly had a head attack. I'm guessing she likes _

_Blaise just a little bit. I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight. Harry and I _

_sort of got into an argument today. Those boys have become compltely _

_ridiculous lately. _

_-HM_

_

* * *

  
_


	7. Date Plan

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

**Wow. Reading the last chapter I posted last night. I see a lot of grammar and spelling errors that I have done. I just want to apologize. For the one that asked to why Hermione signed her last letter HM. That would be why, I guess I was still thinking of Draco Malfoy. Its meant to be HG of course.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Date Plan  
**

By the time it came around to dinner time, Ginny had began to drive Hermione insane with the full depth of how much she adored Blaise. She glanced over to Draco, who was slightly grinning over to her and another paper airplane came in her direction. Hermione opened it quietly, as Harry had realized the airplane was another letter for Hermione.

"Who are these letters coming from?" asked Harry, his voice clearly stating that he was annoyed as he spoke over Ginny.

"None of your business." snapped Ginny. Ron glanced up ignoring Carmen, who looked to him annoyed.

"Oh, so it's okay for her to know but not your best friends?" snapped Ron, back at the two girls. Hermione gritted her teeth.

"No, Ginny is my best friend. She actually knows how to treat people fairly. Unlike two other daft gits I know." said Hermione as Ginny and her both stood up from the table. They left before the either boys could say anything, but they could hear the two boys bickering at each other when they walked away.

"Hermione, you are brilliant." said Ginny quietly. "It will be okay." she said, when Hermione didn't say anything else.

"I know it will..." she opened the letter that Draco had just wrote her.

_Hermione, _

_Blaise is secretly thrilled to hear about Ginny. I'm curious to why Potter and Weasley_

_are angry with you? They are dense children, if you ask me. Blaise and I were just _

_discussing since Hogsmeade is tomorrow, if you would like to have sort of a double_

_date tomorrow but we can talk about this when we meet up tonight. _

_-DM_

"That's perfect." mumbled Hermione, pleased. "Tomorrow I hope you are going to Hogsmeade and not have any actual plans when getting there." she said, turning to Ginny.

"Not really. I told a few that I could come meet them to have a butterbeer with them, but I dont have to go."

"Good! We are going to meet Draco and Blaise tomorrow somewhere and have a double date."

Ginny smiled. "Really? That would be great!" she said quietly, when a few girls passed them in the corridor.

"I'll let you know more detail later. I'm going to meet with Draco now and we can discuss it." she smiled slightly. "It will be fun."

"Hermione, everything is going to be okay with Ronald and Harry. They will come to their senses eventually. Promise. Even not, I know someone that will be waiting for them along with a bat bogey hex."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks Ginny. I'll see you back in the common room later."

she left Ginny in the corridor, thankful she had always had Ginny to help her. She walked quickly to the astronomy tower, ready to be able to see Draco again. She sat near the edge of the tower, looking up to the full moon. It was another perfect night at Hogwarts, the beauty was perfect.

"Its always beautiful up here." said Draco quietly when he spotted Hermione as came up the stairs. She nodded in agreement. "Do you want to talk about it?" he finally asked when he sat on the ground beside her.

"About what?"

"What happened with Potter and you? Then at dinner it looked like you two were yelling at each other again."

"Oh.. You caught that, did you? l I guess you could say the Golden Trio isn't as fair as it should be.. Harry just always seems to take Ron's side for everything that happens. No matter what it is, even when I'm the one that is hurt with a situation. I'm a girl, so of course I'm going to over react. Then he asked me who was writing me these letters and Ginny yelled at him and told him it wasn't his business."

"Well I don't think you are over reacting. What did you say to him?"

Hermione thought. Her response to Harry was about Draco and she didn't want him to know that. "Nothing really. Just, that I wasnt bothered by it anymore."

"Is there a reason behind that?" he asked quietly. Looking away from her.

"I guess there could be.. But it isn't completely the reason why."he smirked, he knew that it was the reason why and no other reason.

"So! Are Ginny and you up for the date tomorrow?"

"Does Draco Malfoy want to go on a date with me?" asked Hermione, smiling slightly to herself.

"Does Hermione Granger want to go on a date with him?"

"Only if he wants too."

"Of course I do. I want to take you on an actual date. That would be why Blaise and I are coming up with the idea. We want to take you two Madam Puddifoots. That tea shop; tomorrow at noon. Is that alright?"

She nodded. "Yes, that sounds perfect to me."she closed her eyes, letting the cool wind hit her. Her curly brown hair blew in the wind and Draco watched.

"Hermione..." he said, almost in a whisper.

"Hmm?" she said, her eyes remaining closed.

"Will you ever tell Potter and Weasel about our friendship?" the question caught Hermione off guard and she opened her eyes to look over him and she frowned.

"I don't know, Draco. I really would like too but they can be so bloody misunderstanding at times!"

"What if we ever became more then just friends?" Hermione quickly looked away and looked over to the sky.

"Then I guess I would have to tell them then. I can't hide a relationship from them. Never." Draco was pleased enough with her answer. She sighed to help her relax again.

"Hermione?" he said, quietly again.

"Yes, Draco?"

"It's getting harder each day to not think about you all the time."

"What?" she asked, completely unclear to what he had just admitted.

"You heard me." he kissed her cheek as he stood up and began to quickly leave the astronomy tower.

"Draco!" she yelled after him, but by the time she got up from her spot and down the tower he had already disappeared. As she walked around to reach the Gryffindor protrait she looked around every corner in hopes to find Draco walking through the corridor.

She sighed heavily when she reached the common room, sitting down at her corner table she always sat at when she was studying.

"What's the matter?" asked Ginny, sitting across from her at the table.

"Draco.. He was acting so strange. I don't understand him. Then he ran off on me before I could say anything back to him.." she mumbled.

"What are you talking about?"

"He asked me what Harry and I had been bickering about and what happened. Then he asked would I ever tell Harry and Ron and our friendship especially if it ever became more then a friendship.." Ginny looked ataken back. "Then right before he left he said, _It's getting harder each day to not think about you all the time_, kissed my cheek and left me... Ginny what does that mean?"

Ginny stared at the ceiling of the common room. "Hermione, for a girl... You can be dense. Obviously he likes you! why else would you be on his mind constantly? He just doesn't want to admit his feelings toward you because of Harry and Ron.. I know I've said that you should tell them.. Butthinking of it, how would you think they would react if they thought you were dating _the Draco Malfoy_. They would go crazy!"

"I know! They would. They really would." she said, sighing. Closing her eyes in frustration as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I wish this could be so much simpler. Blaise and Draco also want to meet us at noon at Madam Puddifoots."

"Okay! Well, I'll keep an eye on Malfoy and see how he acts around you. I can tell when a guy likes a girl, Hermione. We've got this." she said smiling, trying to persuade the poor girl.


	8. Magical Date

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

**Anyone have new music that would help me concentrate while writing?  
**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Magical Date  
**

Hermione woke early that morning, the thought of Ginny and her having a double date with two of the most unlikely boys running through her mind. If the year before someone had mentioned to her at this time of the year she would be sneaking around to see Malfoy and having dates with him, she would have never believed it.

It all happened so quickly and randomly with Draco. The feelings each time progressed into something more when she saw him; the butterflies in her stomach forming, just thinking about him. She was nervous about the date, especially since it was going to be in public. If the wrong person saw Harry and Ron could find out and Ginny and her would never hear the end of it.

Winter was coming and it was becoming colder on school grounds. Hermione and Ginny helped each other get ready so they knew they would look well enough to fit the boys standards. Ginny left her hair down, parted down in a angle. She wore enough mascara to bring out her blue eyes. Her long legs showed in her slim jeans going with a long green sleeve shirt. Hermine's hair was neatly pulled back, with her top layers pulled back into a clip as the rest fell down curly on her back. She wore her favorite grey turtle neck.

"What is it?" asked Ginny, when Hermione wasn't speaking to her as they wanted to leave Hogwarts.

"I'm just nervous. Really nervous." she admitted quietly.

"You should be more nervous when you are with him alone. Why are you nervous now?"

Hermione shook her head, looking up to Ginny. "I don't know! Its really irritating."

They joined the rest of the crowd infront near where Filch waited to check people off. Hermione stood quietly, over thinking the day ahead of her. From the times being with Draco before she had never been as nervous as she were now. Ginny walked quietly with her, with calm expressions. She was perfectly capable of what she was doing, as Hermione was wishing she was able to be the same way. She needed a way to calm her self and the cool fresh air when they reached the beginning of the trail to Hogsmeade, helped her. For so long she had felt invisible to boys, and now for the first time she was noticed by someone she truly cared deeply for. The thought scared her and she didn't want to loose the butterflies.

They two of them, both noticed Ron and Harry infront of them, walking closely together as they were speaking quietly so they were not overheard by ones walking past. The walls as they past were covered in old wanted posters of multiple prisoners that had escaped in time ago. Most of them had been caught over again and Kissed by the Dementor. Hermione frowned as she walked passed glancing to them, Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy the ones she knew so well. Lucius was now in Azkaban, in no ways to escaping. Bellatrix was the only Dark supporter left in the open world, only because she had well disappeared. None of the past Death Eaters or anyone else in the matter knew where she had escaped to or if still alive.

"Hermione, is it noon yet?" asked Ginny when they arrived at the beginning of Hogsmeade.

"Yeah, we're actually late! Come on." Hermione led Ginny up a side road into Madam Puddifoots. It wasn't as cramped as Hermione had thought it would be, which was relieving for her. They both walked in the steamy little shop and immediately took their coats off. The shop was decorated in winter colors and made Hermione feel welcomed and calmer then before.

"Hermione!" said Draco from across the room, already having a table in the back of the shop with Blaise. "You are late." Blaise and Draco both stood up from the table to greet the girls.

"Hello." said Blaise quietly, taking Ginny's hand and kissing it. She immediately blushed and smiled to him. Draco hugged Hermione and kissed her cheek.

"What can I get you four?" said Madam Puddifoot, the stout woman asked as she walked over to them at the table.

"Four coffees, please." answered Draco. In the process of the lady get their coffees the four of them were silent and Draco and Hermione continuously stole glances at one another before they would both stare at the window. He kept his hand near his coffee cup and Hermione had the urge to grab it. She had loved it when they held hands last time at their dinner together.

"Ginny, how long have you been playing Quidditch?" asked Blaise, finally trying to begin a conversation with her.

"A year or two before I came to Hogwarts. I wanted to be on my the House team, so I started practicing with the twins and Harry." she answered, looking across the table to him. Draco stared at Hermione until he finally caught her attention. She smiled at him and he tilted his head over to see if she wanted to leave and go elsewhere. She nodded taking another sip of her coffee.

"Hermione and I are going to go for a walk." said Draco standing from his chair. He took one last sip of his coffee and looked to Blaise. "Is that okay?" he asked him.

"Yes. As long as its okay with Ginny." Ginny looked to Hermione, her eyebrows moving up to an arch. Draco pulled out the money to pay for Hermione and his coffee.

"Yes. That's fine with me."

Hermione bent down to whisper in Ginny's ear. "I'll see you in the common room. Fill me in!" she said almost in a giggle. Ginny smiled as she waved to her and Draco and Hermione exited Madam Puddifoots.

"So what do you think about them?" asked Ginny as they walked out of the shop. Blaise smiled for a second.

"He is head over heels for her. Just wont admit it." he said as he watched the two smile at each other outside the window...

"Do you think it is going well for those two?" asked Hermione as Draco and her began to walk down the street.

"I think It will go along well enough. For him at least. He hasn't shut up about her since last night."

Hermione laughed. "I guess thats bad, right? Ginny would love to hear that though. Girls in general enjoy hearing that."

"Girls can be so gullable." he said, smirking.

Hermione slapped him slightly on the arm, "We are not."

"Maybe not all of them then.. Our christmas holiday is coming up soon. What are your plans?" he asked suddenly, changing subject. They walked slowly down the side of the road, avoiding uncoming students that may see them walking together.

"I'm not sure, I may go home with Ginny. My parents are in Paris for the meantime. I figured I would give them some alone time together."

"They don't have alone time when you are here for the remander of the year?" he asked, confused. "I thought you were an only child."

"I am an only child. I just meant they only have alone time at home. They never get to go somewhere else in the world together. If they do, I'm always included."

"Oh, I see."

"What about you and where are we going?" he looked around and realized they had left the Hogsmeade road.

"Not a clue! I guess we should probably head back. You didn't want to go anywhere else did you?"

"No... Not that I can remember now anyway."

This made him smile. The only reason why Hermione could not remember what she had needed was because he was her distraction. The only thing that had ever been able to full on distract Hermione from anything. "Okay. Well, I just plan to go back to the Manor. I still have my mum there. She's looking forward to seeing me and spending time without having my father there."

"That's really lovely, Draco. Is she nice?"

"She's wonderful. You'll love her if you get to meet her. Growing up she was my best friend. I've always told her everything since I could never speak to my father about anything. You would figure she would be the opposite seeing to what she ended up marrying.. She really is one of the nicest people you can meet."

"Well, I do hope I can meet her someday."

"You will."

Walking back to the castle grounds, looking around to see if anyone were close enough around them to see who they were, Draco took Hermione's hand and walked her to the castle. Neither one of them spoke another word, leaving it to silence as they listened to the wind blow through the trees and the leaves scattering on the green grass. Birds flew over them, leaving their nests, too cold to where they were momentary.

"I hope this date was nice for you." he said letting go of her hand as they reached the grounds.

"We weren't supposed to meet Ginny and Blaise were we?" asked Hermione, suddenly remembering that her best friend was still with Blaise.

Draco scratched his head. "I hope not. I sort of forgot about them."

Hermione laughed. "Yeah, I did too."

Draco sighed and reached to Hermione and pulled her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest to hug her. She buried her face into his chest, sniffing his sweet scent in. She smiled as his lips brushed against her ear.

"You really are incredibly beautiful, Hermione." her heart skipped a beat. She wanted nothing more then for his to look down to her and kiss her passionately on the lips. She knew in just the short period, that if she continued to see Draco as she did know, she would fall deeply in love with him as she was beginning to already.

* * *

**A/N: oops.. No kiss! I hope that was not a disappointment. i just don't see it happening.. Not yet anyway. **


	9. A new Priority

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

**Thank you **LOTRRanger **for the artist advice with my last chapter! **

**Also, for those of you who don't remember, Madam Puddifoots was mentioned in the fifth book. I didn't come up with the name. **

* * *

**Chapter Nine: A New Priority **

"Hermione?" said Ginny when she entered the common room later that night. When Draco and Hermione had departed in the Great Hall, Draco left to go to the Dungeons as Hermione walked up thee stairs to the seventh floor to come to the common room. She had decided to wait up for Ginny, thinking that she wasn't going to be much longer since she was with Blaise. But Hermione had indeed waited longer then planned and feel asleep on the couch infront of the nice fire.

"Hmm?" Hermione said quietly, stirring on the couch.

"Wake up, you need to go to your own bed." said Ginny, trying to pull Hermione up from the couch. Hermione looked around the common room to see that Ginny and her were the only ones left in there. She sat up from the couch and looked to Ginny.

"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you." she said quietly, rubbing her eyes.

"Blaise and I ended up walking around everywhere at Hogsmeade then we came back to the castle and walked around more."

"That means it went well?" she said smiling, happy for the other girl.

"Yes. I suppose so! He kissed me when we were saying bye to one another. Just a small peck on the lips. Even for the second, it was the best moment I've had."

Hermione laughed. "That is ridiculous. I still haven't gotten a kiss and I've been seeing Draco longer then you with Blaise!"

"Still?! I figured you would have gotten one today. Hermione, you should see the way Malfoy looks at you when you aren't paying attention. Even Blaise knows. When you both had left Madam Puddifoots, I said 'What do you think about them?' And you want to know what he told me?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Of course I want to know, Ginny!"

"Blaise told me that Malfoy was head over heels for you, but wouldn't admit to it."

Hermione smiled widely. "Draco said that Blaise hasn't stopped talking about you since last night." They both squealed, laughing together. Hermione filled Ginny in with her story of the day with Draco. Ginny smile every once in awhile to the story.

"Then he should have kissed you! That would've been a perfect moment. You are beautiful, Hermione." making a smooching noise. "kiss! It is not that difficult!"

"I know! Boys are totally barbaric! they drive me mad." she said, staring at the fire as the moment of Draco and her nearly about to kiss replayed through her mind.

"Tell me about your day with Blaise." said Hermione after she pulled away from her daydream.

Well after you left we stayed at Madam Puddifoots for a while longer and talked about Quidditch. He wont admit it, but I'm a better Chaser then he is. After that we walked around Hogsmeade. I think Harry spotted me in Honeydukes, but Blaise and I ran out of the shop. I'm not too sure if he noticed me or at least who I was with."

"Did you have fun at least? Don't worry about the git."

"I know, I'll hex him if he even begins to say something about it.. And yes, I did have fun! Who knew I would enjoy spending time with Blaise. He wants to have dinner together. Sort of similar to how Malfoy and you sneak around and do."

Hermione smiled. Happy to see that Ginny was happy. "That's great! It's always fun. The sneaking around the corridors and having a chance to get caught.. It's a lot of fun." Hermione smiled again. She was wishing she could see Draco now. To hug him tightly again. She felt save in his arms.

* * *

With the following morning and it being another free day of no classes, it was a normal sunday afternoon for most of the students at Hogwarts. Excluding a normal day away from Hermione and Ginny who sat at the tree infront of the Black Lake. They had a blanket around them that kept them warm enough to be out on the grounds and they sat there staring at the Giant Squib who tried to attack a bird as it tried flying by.

"What am I going to do?" asked Hermione, after telling Ginny how she was already falling for Draco Malfoy. He was the only thing she was able to think about. Her homework wasn't even completely finished as she would end up writing his name throughout some point on the parchment as he came to mind at random times.

"You are going to do absolutely nothing! Hermione, you don't need to tell Harry. You don't need to tell Ronald. You are happy with someone and no matter who this someone is, it should not matter to them. Every girl goes through with having these feelings for someone else. It's very natural. There is nothing wrong with you!"

"But with who it is? Do you think everyone is going to be as reasonable with who I'm falling for as you have been?"

"He's not a bad guy, Hermione. He has just always been put up as one because of his father. His father is not around anymore to worry about. Stop thinking about it so much."

Hermione sighed, she wanted to do what Ginny told her but it was easier said then done. It was not until they sat there in silence watching the water at the lake move around against the wind, when the familiar grey owl came in the direction they sat at.

"That isn't hard to guess who that is from." said Ginny, smirking as they noticed the letter dangling from the owls foot.

"Be quiet." mumbled Hermione, taking the letter from the owl when it landed right beside her on the grass.

_Hermione, _

_I can't seem to be able to stop myself from thinking about you. _

_I was hoping that we could see each other tonight, because I _

_don't want to have to wait until the morning to see you. It's _

_getting pretty cold outside so perhaps we should meet elsewhere_

_instead our usual spot. Maybe an empty classroom? _

_-DM_

"He just can't get enough of me.." she said in almost a whisper, smiling widely.

Ginny narrowed her eyes to her. "Don't even think to say that after, _this is too good to be true!_ Blah blah! You're lucky you have heard from him. I haven't heard anything from Blaise this entire day now."

"Maybe you should write him then. He obviously likes you, he kissed you for gods sake!" argued Hermione. "Maybe he thinks he didn't leave a good impression on you yesterday. So he is afraid to write to you or come find you."

"Maybe you're right. Lets go to the castle and write to our boys." said Ginny standing up from her spot. She put her hand out to help Hermione and they discussed what Ginny could write to Blaise.

* * *

"Should I put _dear Blaise, _or just Blaise?" asked Ginny staring staright into the blank peice of parchment. Hermione couldn't help but giggle.

"Ginny. It's just the beginning of a letter. Just put Blaise. Then write whatever comes to your mind. Or how you enjoyed spending time with him yesterday. Stop making this so difficult."

Ginny glared at Hermione. "Look who is talking!"

Hermione gaped. "I have a reason too! You're just writing a letter!" Ginny sighed and continued to write. Hermione bit the end of her quill as to deciding what she wanted to write to Draco.

_Draco, _

_I can't seem to stop thinking about you either. I would very _

_much enjoy to be able to see you tonight. How about you meet_

_me in the library just before dinner? Then we can just find a _

_classroom somewhere together. It is getting cold outside. Ginny_

_and I were out near the lake most of the morning. We watched_

_the giant squib try to attack a bird. Only entertainment we could _

_find this morning. _

_-HG_

Draco sat alone at the tree infront of the lake. Where Hermione and Ginny had only been less then an hour ago. The only thing in his mind was Hermione. Not even the cold wind blowing against him bothered him. It was the last thing that was on his mind. His main priority was Hermione. Always. He wanted a way to let her know he was there. That he cared for her, wanted her.


	10. Marriage

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

**So, **Roaring_Star **what is very strange about your review was that I was actually already thinking of a doing that before you even mentioned that! So perhaps I will definitely write a chapter about that then. **

**and, **satoz, **thanks for letting me know. I did not even realize that I kept putting Squib. Haha I really meant squid. I mix up my D's and B's sometimes.  
**

**To the rest who has been leaving reviews, thank you very much. I'm so glad you are liking the story. :) Sorry about not giving you guess the kiss scene yet either. I'm just not seeing that happening yet. I already know when it will happen, and that wont happen for another chapter or two. **

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Marriage  
**

Hermione laid on her bed in the girl's dormitory after Draco wrote her back. The letter was palced on Hermione's stomach as she stared at the ceiling. If not, she was re reading the letter over and over again till she had it memorized. Her mind was focusing on ways to attempt to tell Harry and Ron about Draco and her.

_Hermione, _

_That would be well for me. If you get hungry we can_

_ just go to the kitchens. My old house elf, Dobby, works_

_in there now. He is always giving me food when I go_

_down there late at night. He is a strange one. See _

_you tonight. _

_-DM_

It was nearly around dinner time when Hermione finally raised out of bed. She brushed her hair and put on regular clothes and left the dormitory to the common room. Harry sat there alone as the common room was only left with a few other Gryffindors left. He looked up to Hermione at once when she came in view.

"Hermione. I've been waiting for ever." he said quietly, standing up for the chair.

"Why is that?" she asked, coldly. She clicked her tonuge loudly, clearly showing Harry that she was annoyed.

"I just want to apologize."

"For what?" knowing clearly, for some reason that every boy had a difficult time apologizing for anything they had done wrong; most of the time they didn't even know what they were apologizing for. She wanted to know why.

"For being a prat. You're my friend, Hermione. I should have realized that Ron really upset you and taken your side. I can not stand that annoying girl. Cameron, Carmen, whatever her name is! I can't stand her!" he put his fist up in the air. Making Hermione laugh.

"You look ridiculous. Don't do that." she said, holding in her laughter. Harry smiled. "I guess I can say apologize accepted. That doesn't mean I forgive Ronald though. He has to apologize for himself and don't you dare let him say 'For what?' if you say something about it to him. He should know perfectly well what." she glanced down at her watch. Draco was probably already at the library waiting for her.

"Okay, okay. Lets go to dinner then. I'm starving. I've been waiting down here for over an hour."

Hermione rolled her eyes, glancing at her watch again. "You could have apologized later. You didn't have to wait."

"I know, but I knew I needed to now. It was eating at me."

"Well thanks for that. I have to go though. you go ahead to dinner and I'll meet with you later!"

"Where are you-" but he didn't get to finish his sentence as Hermione had already ran out the protrait hole, rushing to the library enterance. Draco was waiting behind one of the bookshelves, looking over a potions book.

"About time. You are late again with meeting me." he said, smirking. "Not like you!" he said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you most not be very important then." she winked.

"Ouch, Granger! Hurting my feelings." he put the book back in its orginal place on the shelve.

"Lets go find a classroom."

Draco followed Hermione out of the library. Knowing that majority of the students were at dinner they didn't worry about keeping a distance from one another. Down on the third floor in an empty corridor they found a classroom that looked as if it hadn't been used in years. Cobwebs were built up in the corners of the room, and the desks were scattered randomally in the room. Some of them had been broken and peices laid around on the cold ground.

"This is perfect." said Hermione, as she walked in and shut the door behind Draco.

"I guess, it needs to be cleaned up. I don't want to stay in here with a bunch of spiders crawling around." with a mutter of a spell and flick of the wand the candles lit up on the walls. With another flick by him, the spider webs vanished.

"How did you do that?" asked Hermione.

He smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know!"

"Whatever." she said, ignoring his comment. "Did you really mean what you said in your letter this morning?"

"Which part?" he asked, trying to remember.

She narrowed her eyes, trying to judge if he was joking or not. When he didn't look as if he remembered she pulled out one of his letters and opened it. "The part you said, _I can't seem to be able to stop myself from thinking about you. _Did you mean that?"

He grinned. "Of course I did. What did I tell you in the past? Malfoy's never lie. I don't know why it is; but I think about you a lot. More then I should. Even when I'm doing my bloody homework you are in my mind!"

Hermione couldn't help but to blush. "Same here." she said, quietly.

"Sorry? What was that?" he asked, wanting to hear what she said again.

"I said same here."

"What do you mean, Hermione?"

She sighed through her nose, not wanting to admit to him. "I mean that I can't seem to keep you out of my mind either."

He smiled. "Good." he changed the subject, not wanting to let Hermione know that he liked her, more then she could ever imagine. "Anything interesting happen today?" he asked.

"Before I came here Harry finally really apologized to me. Ronald hasn't, doubt that he will. At least Harry did though."

"At least he isn't being a bloody git anymore."

"Malfoy." she said, firmly. "Even though I was angry with him for being foul doesn't mean you can insult him." he only smirked.

"Did you mention anything about me?"

"No, I didn't.." he looked away, which Hermione made her feel as if that almost hurt his feelings. "But I will, Draco. I just didn't think that was exactly the perfect time for that. I plan to tell him soon though."

"Alright, good."

"What about Blaise and Ginny?" she finally asked, wanting to know anything that Blaise may have said to him.

He breathed heavily. "Goodness. This entire morning I have heard nothing about that Weaslette. Everything out of his mouth today was about her. I couldn't get any word in. He obviously really likes her. He even tried to find her this afternoon, but I'm assuming that was the time she was with you."

Hermione smiled brightly. "I knew it. All this morning Ginny was freaking out that he didn't like her."

"No way. He is really into her. I've never seem Blaise like someone as much as he likes Weaselette. I think its very odd, seeing as they've only hung out once. He talks is if they will be married one day."

They both laughed. "Who knows these days."

"Yeah, you're probably right.. You never know when you are standing in front of the person you will marry in the future."

There was a twinkle in his eyes that Hermione noticed at once, which made her blush and immediately turn away from him.

* * *

Surprise! Two chapters in one day. I've been extremely bored.


	11. Masquerade

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

**So, **Roaring_Star **the websites you sent me aren't coming up! I'll get back to on the music issue though. I'm not really sure. I've been listening to a little bit of Arcade Fire lately. And **That_Ella_Loves **I'm glad to make your morning! **

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Masquerade  
**

"Lumos."

Sneaking around at Hogwarts at night was a dangerous adventure for Hermione. Not only because Filch was lurking the corridors and his devilish cat lurked the others, she continuously continued to run into things. First running into a knight. Moments later she turned and ran into a gargoyle that she could never recall ever being placed there. The common room was empty when she arrived after midnight. She gathered her books from her corner table and noticed a scribbled note waiting for her on her potions book.

_'Mione, _

_Just a fair warning, Harry is beginning to ask me where _

_you keep disappearing too at night. I told him you never_

_would let me know when you are leaving so he left it_

_ alone. I'm sure he is going to ask you in the morning_

_ about it though. -Ginny_

Frowning, she crumbled the piece of parchment and threw it in the fire. She didn't care if Harry and her were back on decent terms, she didn't have any right to have to tell him where she went.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet with the Golden Trio. Hermione sat beside Ginny as she was sitting beside Harry. She looked over to the Slytherin table to smile at Blaise, who smiled in return then quickly looked away.

"How are things going with him?" asked Hermione quietly so Ron and Harry didn't over hear.

"Pretty good, actually. We've been writing to each other back and forth. "

"Good. Draco and I had a discussion about the two of you last night." she said, smiling to her. "It was pretty good from everything I heard also."

Turning Ginny's grin to a wide smile, she asked, "What did he tell you?"

"That Blaise hasn't said anything that isn't about you. Then he went searching for you most the morning yesterday. I assume that was when we were at the lake."

"Ahem."

The entire Great Hall went silent as they glanced up to the front table. Albus Dumbledore stood from his massive chair that was placed in the middle of the table. He had his hand up to silence the Hall.

"Pardon me for interrupting your breakfast. After discussing this with my fellow staff members we have come to the conclusion of a new upcoming event. After the past year and the having Light's victory we want to celebrate by having a ball. To be exact, a masquerade ball."

The hall burst out into conversations about the Ball, Hermione glanced over to Draco who was staring at her. Blaise looked to Ginny. They already knew who they wanted to take.

"We would to have it sometime in the next month. Only sixth and seventh years are invited. For under class, you must be invited by one of these years." Once again, the hall burst out. Most of the under class burst out in boo's, knowing most of them were not going to be allowed to go. The sixth and seventh years cheered in excitement.

"Now, continue with your eating and get to class! Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" he sat down, no one understand what he had just meant they turned back to their neighbors and their breakfast.

"I know who I want to take." mumbled Ginny. "This is perfect. It's a masquerade too; we can get away with it. "

"Do you think that we should tell them though?" asked Hermione, nodding her head toward Harry and Ron.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. I don't have any intentions to tell them. They can find out themselves when I show up!" she smiled.

"If you think that's a good idea.." Hermione on the other hand, did not. She knew once she walked in the Hall where the Ball would take place and Harry and Ron discovered who she was with they would go ballistic. Just as Ron did when she had went to the Yule Ball with Viktor but this time, it would be worse.

The entire morning of Transfiguration Hermione kept her mind on the Ball. No one else seemed to be able to keep it away from though either. Professor McGonagall grew tired of trying to keep everyone on task and gave an assignment that everyone could do with each other, so they could talk and work at the same time.

Draco stared at Hermione for the longest time before following to work with Blaise who sat beside him. Hermione knew he was writing her a letter as his book wasn't on his desk to do the assignment. Hermione was sitting beside Lavender Brown, the annoying girl that once was obsessed with Ronald. She had moved onto Dean Thomas.

Lavender had blamed Hermione for the break up between Ron and her and often avoiding making any contact with Hermione. So sitting beside her, Lavender kept her back turned to Hermione, facing to the desk behind her which Padma sat at. Draco took the risk and Wingardium Leviosa it to her and it floated in front of her face. Hitting her a few times and she swapped it to get it away from her nose; Hermione narrowed her eyes in Draco's direction and the letter immediately dropped to her desk.

_Hermione, _

_I hope you didn't intend on having another date to the Masquerade_

_Ball because you are going to be my date. I hope you don't mind. _

_Blaise is excited too. Ginny sent him an owl asking him if he wanted_

_ to be her date. I guess I'm excited, but that's only from the possibility _

_of being able to go with you. I remember during the Yule Ball. You _

_were the most attractive girl there. Anyway, meet you in our classroom _

_after lunch? _

_-DM_

Hermione almost laughed at the beginning of the letter. He _clearly _knew how to ask a girl properly out. It showed so well through his letter. Knowing that Ginny would be with Blaise and Draco with her, she was looking forward to the Ball and not having to worry about someone else. Draco looked over her and smirked and she mouthed, _'No' _to him. Pretending to be hurt, he frowned and wiped his eyes as if he were beginning to cry. Hermione smiled again and he started to laugh quietly and looked over to Blaise.

Hermione glanced around the room to make sure that no one had noticed her small talk with Draco before reading his letter once again. The only person Hermione had forgotten to check to see was Professor McGonagall. She sat very still at her desk, her light pink lips pressed tightly together. To her, she had just witnessed a miracle. Bringing a feeling of joy in her body. Finally agreeing to the rest of the staff members that having the Ball was probably a brilliant idea.

_

* * *

_

**A/N: I'm pretty sure the characters seem to be out of chacter to some, but this is how I vision it. and its also very late at night and I am exhausted so my mind isn't fully here. I just wanted to have this wrote so I would not forget what I wanted to happen. **


	12. Be my date?

_**A/N: Of course, I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Be my date?  
**

_Draco, I meant 'No' when I sad that during class. I'm _

_not going to the ball with you unless you ask me _

_properly! Instead of telling me I'm going with you!_

_Just letting you know! You better think of a different _

_way to make me go with you! _

_-HG_

Hermione slipped the letter on Draco's desk as she took longer to leave the classroom. Draco looked up to her and smirked. Immediately she glanced up to Professor McGonagall, who stared at them suspiciously. Shooing them out her classroom with her hand, they nearly ran out, separating as soon as they exited.

Most of every student at Hogwarts was having a early discussion of the Ball. The lower students talking to how they were going to try to find a guy that needed a date and the rest that were able to go attempting to find someone for a date. Hermione and Ginny were probably the only two that were set for the ball. She smiled. She truly was thrilled. She knew she would have Ginny near her most of the night because of Draco and Blaise.

History of Music was the worst for Hermione. She was sitting at the end of the row, with Harry to her right then came along Ron. Harry looked over to Hermione every chance he got, seeming as if he were going to say something to her.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione, becoming annoyed with the random glances.

"What? Oh- It's nothing." he glanced down to the blank parchment in front of him.

_'I'm no good with asking.. But do you want to go to the ball with me? As friends?_ He had wrote on the paper

Hermione frowned. She didn't want to have to reject Harry.

_I'm sorry, Harry. I already have a date. _His eyebrows furrowed.

_Already? It has not even been a day yet.  
_

_As Fred and George once said, you have to move quick or all the good ones will be gone. _

"Who are you going with?" he asked, moving closer to her so Ron didn't listen.

"None of your business." she said quietly, not taking her gaze away from her classwork.

"'Mione, come on."

"You will just have to wait until the ball. It's a surprise."

"We will all be in masks! How can I tell?"

"Our masks are supposed to come off at midnight. Don't you know masquerade rules?" Harry squinted his eyes in thought. Of course he didn't know the rules. It was just a ball. "If you did your work in here for once, you may actually be interested in it."

"Yeah, right. Me being interested in this class would be like you interested in Quidditch."

"I'm interested in Qudditch! I just prefer to stay on the ground." argued Hermione.

* * *

Hermione sat at the couch in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny sat beside her, mumbling to herself as she tried to figure out answers to her ancient runes homework. Already finished with her homework, Hermione sat there to relax. Her thoughts still in the clouds about the Ball to come.

"Hermione, someone told me to give this to you." said a fourth year coming through the portrait hole. "Tall, blonde hair. He was outside and said if i didn't deliver this to you, he would curse me every time he saw me.." the boy almost looked scared. Hermione shook her head, a reminder in her head to smack Draco for the threating underclassmen.

"Thank you. Don't worry about that boy. He would curse you." she said with a smile. He shrugged his shoulders, and walked away from Hermione.

_Hermione, _

_please meet me at our classroom. Now if you don't mind. _

_-DM_

Hermione grinned. "I'll see you later. He calls to meet." she said with a giggle to Ginny.

"Okay. I'm heading to bed soon, I'll see you in the morning." said Ginny looking up from her book.

Hermione left the common room, walking quickly around through the corridors to Draco and hers classroom. She was only in the room for a few minutes before Draco burst through the door.

"She knows." said Draco when he entered.

"What are you talking about?" asked Hermione, Draco running his hands through his hair.

"McGonagall! She obviously knows about the two of us now." Hermione tilted her head in slight confusing.

"Draco, she isn't going to let anyone know. She probably doesn't even realize we are friends." Draco frowned at the word _friend_.

"How can you be so sure?" he said, irritated.

"Gryffindors do not rat out another people. " she said, her eyes narrowing at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, I want to show you something."

"What if we are caught!"

"It isn't midnight yet. I didn't have any trouble getting up here all the way from the dungeons. Come on." Draco grabbed her hand and guided her out the classroom. The candle lights blowing out as the door shut. Hermione remained quiet as they quietly roamed the empty corridors to the seventh floor.

"Where are you taking me?"she finally asked when they didn't stop walking.

"Don't ask questions." he stopped when they arrived at a bare wall. Hermione then realized she was on the seventh floor. The floor that the Room of Requirements was at.

"Why are we here?"

"Stop asking questions!" he said, not showing any hint of annoyance. The door appeared a second later and he took Hermione's hand once again. "Come on, little one." he said smiling, when he opened the door. Hermione was confused, but followed him in.

It was as if someone had been living in the room of requirement for most of the year. It was as if she were in a small flat. but the main room they were now standing in, was lit up with candles, and balloons filled the room. Keeping a hold of the red balloons, a banner wrapped around them that said, _'will you go to the Ball with me?' _

Hermione couldn't help but to smile. It was a sweet, unexpected way for Draco to ask her. She appreciated it and loved it. Hermione nodded.

"Yes. I'll go with you now." she said happily. "This was perfect, Draco. I really like this."

He grinned and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm glad! Thats why you haven't heard from me the entire day. I was trying to find where to get the balloons. I had to sneak out and go to Honeydukes."

"You could have been in so much trouble if you were caught!"

"Like always. But it was worth the risk."


	13. Sweet Dreams

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**Sorry it took a two days to update. I've been busy. Plus, my computer blew up so I had to get a new one. But, I'm back! **_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Sweet Dreams.  
**

Hermione felt like she were only dreaming. She never would have thought someone would ask her to be her date for anything in such a sweet way as Draco had just done. Her night would be perfect and she already knew it. the three weeks away until the Ball seemed so incredibly far away for her.

"By the way, I don't appreciate the way you treated that poor boy who gave me the letter you just wrote me!" she said, playfully punching his arm.

"Ow, Granger!" he said, rubbing his arm. "You don't have to hurt me."

"What is this place?" she asked, looking back around. He glanced around the room, smiling as he made the balloons go into the corner.

He spread his arms out, as he showed off the room. "This is my room."

"Your room? What are you talking about?"

"I sleep here. I don't stay in the Slytherin dormitory anymore. The only person that is considered my friend would be Blaise. The rest don't like me since of what happened near the end of the war. They consider it a traitor move."

"You went neutral. How is that a traitor move?"

"My family is an old powerful pure blood family. My dad supported the Dark Lord, as you know.. But my mother and I didn't. She wanted to join the light but never moved to doing so because she didn't want us to be killed."

"I never knew. I'm sorry."

"It's all in the past. Besides, this room is a lot more spacey and I have it to myself." he smirked. "Hermione, do you think we may get to see each other during break?"

"Do you mean Christmas break?"

He nodded, taking a seat on his couch. He patted the cushion next to him. "Come sit down." Hermione followed suit and took a seat beside him.

"Well, I'm planning to stay at Hogwarts for break or maybe going to the burrow to stay with Ginny."

"Oh, right." he said quietly, in thought.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I've been writing to my mother a lot lately. I've mentioned you in a few letters and she wants to meet you."

"Oh." was all she managed to say.

"Is that a bad idea?" he asked, offended.

"No.. No! It's just... Your mum is.. almost perfect... I guess you could say she is very intimidating."

He chuckled. "I've heard that multiple times before. Once you meet her though, you will love her. She's such a beautiful person, inside and out." Hermione smiled, wondering what it would be like to meet her. She also thought what her parents would think if she brought Draco home, from the past mentioning how cruel he was to her.

"Well, I hope to meet her then." Hermione said, yawning.

"Are you tired?"

"Just a bit, but I'll survive for a little longer." her head began to slowly fall onto Draco's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, not knowing rather to push her away or to relax and have her be comfortable. Glancing around the room as if he were to see someone, he put his arm around her. "Draco?" she mumbled, half asleep.

"Yes?" he said quietly, fighting an urge to kiss her forehead.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what happened with the war? With your father?" he didn't answer at first. No one had actually asked him that question before. They only assumed the answers from the rumors. The only ones who knew the truth was Dumbledore and Snape.

"I didn't want to be on the dark side. Supporting Voldemort wasn't something that I was thrilled with doing. My father and I have always been different from one another and I followed my mothers footsteps. It was when I turned fourteen when everything started. My father is a powerful man, Hermione. When he wants something he doesn't stop till he gets it completed. He had plans for me to become a death eater and at first, I didn't refuse because I was afraid of him.. I was afraid he would do something to me, which he did. Along with my mother. When I finally began to stick up for myself against him he would used the Cruciatus Curse. He cast Crucio on me almost everytime he saw me the last year.." he trailed off. Remembering so clearly the pain. The pain he suffered from his father and how when it would happen to his mother there was nothing that Draco had been able to do for her.

Hermione looked up to him from the top of her eyes. Her eyes forming with tears. "Do you hate him?"

"I hate him because of everything he has ever done to my mother and I. But I'll feel that I need to love him because he is after all, my father. He used to not be so cruel. When I was a younger boy he was nice, gentle, even. It wasn't until our first year of Hogwarts when he changed. He was forcing me to join the dark side, following Voldemort's orders, so i fled. My mother followed."

"That's when Dumbledore found you." said Hermione, listening very quietly.

"Yes. I never was quiet sure how he did find us, I wasn't even sure where we were. I explained everything to him when he came and he took us to Head Quarters. The only thing he had said to us when we arrived there was that we didn't need to explain ourselves to anyone there if they asked. If they weren't informed by him, it was because they had other matters to worry about. I suppose that was why Potter, Weasley and you never were told the truth."

"Yes, you may be right.." Hermione tiredness was beginning to overwhelm her. "Thank you.. For telling me your story."

"Anytime, Hermione." she put her head back onto his shoulder to just have a small rest before having to sneak back to the Gryffindor dormitory. Then before she knew it, she fell asleep. Draco stared at Hermione for the longest time, staring at how peaceful she looked when she slept. Her lips curved as she smiled in her sleep. Draco then giving up his fight against his urge, he kissed her softly on the forehead. Resting his head against her, he then too fell asleep.

That was the first night they dreamed of each other.

* * *

_**I am not J.K. Rowling, this story is going in the line as i want it to go. If I want Harry to have a crush on Hermione, then so be it! He only said he wanted to go with her as friends. Plus, the reason why he acts like that is because he wants to know where Hermione sneaks off too at night and who she keeps writing too. A best friend is allowed to be curious. PLUS, Dumbledore never died. When I began the story I didn't pay attention to that since that was the last thing on my mind, so lets pretend he came back alive. LOL!  
**_


	14. Good Morning Kiss?

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Good morning kiss?  
**

Hermione slowly opened her eyes, not remembering her walk back to the girl's dormitory from the following night. Her dream still on her mind. Her mattress wasn't as soft as she remembered either. It was cold, and muscular. She raised her head slightly up to notice that she was laying on top of Draco. His bare chest moving slowly up and down as he breathed. Hermione stared at his perfect body, a smile forming as she did hadn't recalled falling asleep on him, or when his shirt was taken off.

She glanced at her watch. People were already going down for breakfast. She hadn't returned and Ginny was probably worried sick that something had happened. "Draco.." she said quietly, gently slapping his face.

"'Mione, I'm sleeping. Ten more minutes..." he mumbled, his arms, that were just to his sides, wrapped around Hermione's waist. Pulling her closer to where her face was only inches away from his.

"Draco..." she said, staring at his lips. "We have to go." his arms loosened around her waist but still kept a hold of her.

He suddenly shook his head. "Wha?" he opened his eyes and stared at her. "Hello. Waiting for a good morning kiss?"

Hermione blushed. "In your dreams, Malfoy! Actually you have had a death grip on me for the past five minutes." he suddenly realized his arms were wrapped around her and let go. She pulled up away from him, sitting down near his legs. "If I dare to ask, how did your shirt come off?"

"I got hot throughout the night, I guess it was your body heat." he smirked. "I didn't think you would mind."

She blushed again and shook her head. "We better go. Ginny is probably worried sick. I didn't mean to fall asleep! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine by me. I like having the company at night. I get lonely."

"Oh, well I'm glad I was able to keep you company." she stood up from the couch, trying to flatten out her robes. "I really need to go though. I'll see you later!" without thinking of what she were about to do, Hermione kissed Draco's forehead before he could stand up from the couch. After her lips left his forehead she stared at him for a second then rushed out of his room before he could call her back,

He sighed as he sat back down. "She's so perfect." he said, mumbling to himself.

Hermione rushed to the Gryffindor common room grabbing her schoolbag from the corner table. The common room was completely empty, the fire had burned down and some of the portraits still snored as she passed by. The Great Hall was loud enough to be heard from the second floor, the smell of eggs, sausages and pancakes traveling down the corridor to Hermione. Her stomach growled in hungry.

As soon as she entered the Hall her glance went to the Slytherin table, Draco was sitting beside Blaise and they were close together discussing something. Draco looked bothered as Blaise seemed to be comforting him. At the Gryffindor table, Ginny stood up as soon as she noticed Hermione walk through the door. Leaving the Gryffindor table, with a small plate in her hand she walked to Hermione.

"You! With me, now!" said Ginny as soon as she came in front of Hermione. She stared at Ginny for a moment, before Ginny brushed by her expecting her to follow. They walked to the nearest classroom. "Here is some breakfast." she passed the plate to Hermione, with a pancake and eggs on it.

"Thanks?" said Hermione confused sitting down at the nearest desk. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You should know perfectly well why! Where have you been?! I thought you were only going to be gone for a little while and you never show up for the rest of the night! What did you do?" she said all in one breath.

"You sound like my mother, Ginny. Calm down. Nothing happened!"

"How were you gone for the entire night?!" she asked, her voice clearly showing that she was becoming irritated. Knowing that Hermione wasn't telling her everything she wanted to know.

"Well it started out with me meeting him at our classroom. But then he took me someone else. Turns out he has his own little domoritory because most of the Slytherin's consider him to be a traitor so he created a new place for him to escape too... Ginny it was so nice. When I walked in his room there were balloons there and a banner was wrapped around them asking me to the Ball."

"AWW!" burst out Ginny, excitedly. "That is so adorable! I never would have thought Malfoy would of had a romantic side to him. That's unique too. What else happened? That can't be it."

"Well, we were just talking. I asked him what had happened to him near the end of the war.. Then we fell asleep on the couch together."

"That better be it." snapped Ginny. Hermione narrowed her eyes. "I know, you aren't like that. I was joking. Is that all that happened?"

"I had the most amazing dream about him too..." Hermione said, trailing off in thought of her dream. How her dress flowed in the grass behind her as she walked with Draco at Hogwart's grounds. How Draco kept hold of her as if he were afraid of loosing her at any moment. Making her feel like the most precious person in the world, his most prized possession. How when he kissed her, his soft lips were perfectly well with hers. The way his grey eyes looked at her like nothing else mattered in the world to him, but her. Most importantly, how perfect they were for one another. How Hermione hoped that Draco would some day realize that.

"Hermione!" Ginny said, snapping her fingers in front of Herimone's face. "Snap out of it."

She shook her head, trying to block the dream out of her mind for her to think. "Ginny.."

"Eat. You have to be starving." she said, pointing to the plate that was still full with the food.

"Tell me about Blaise." said Hermione as she began to eat her food.

"We are going to the ball together. This morning he found me when I was on my way here to get breakfast and hugged me. He didn't say anything to me, but hugged me for the longest time.. It was so strange. It was like something was the matter. Then he kissed me on my forehead and left." she shook her head, confused.

"That's strange." said Hermione as she tried to swallow the rest of the pancake. "So we need to find dresses!" she said excitedly, trying to think of a dress that she may already have. "It's a masquerade, I want to go over the top too."

"As do I. I don't really know if my parents have the money to go over the top for me though. I overheard McGonagall talking about how they were going to plan a day for us to go to Hogsmeade for the students to get dress robes. Apparently a shop is going to transfer from Diagon Alley so we don't have to go there." said Ginny in thought.

Hermione stopped listening as Ginny trailed on, she was thinking of the dress closet her mum had at home. She suddenly remembered where the white dress she wore in her dream came from. It was her mothers from when she had been younger.

"I've got it! Ginny! I've got the perfect dress for me!" she said happily, standing up from her chair and her grin from ear to ear.

Ginny sighed. "Now I need to find one.."

"I may be able to help!" Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment and her quill. "My mum has dresses that I can ask her to borrow."

"That would be incredible!"

_Mum, _

_I was wondering about the white dress that you have in your closest. The dress you _

_never got to wear for your wedding. If you are willing, could I borrow it? Hogwarts is_

_ having a Masquerade Ball. I think the dress would go perfect with the white mask_

_Grandmum sent me a few years ago from Venice. Ginny also needs a dress. Do you_

_ think we may have a dress that she could borrow? She isn't sure if her parents have_

_ money to just blow at the moment. Miss and love you! Tell Dad the same.  
_

_-Hermione _

"There! I should have a reply from her by the morning. I only have the mask I'm going to wear.. We will still have to go to Hogsmeade to find you one. "

Ginny nodded. "I can manage with that. Thanks Hermione, I owe you!"

Hermione stared at her clock, for the first time she was late. "OH MY GOD! I'M LATE!" she left the letter on the table. "Mail that to my mum please!" she rushed out of the class room, rushing to Herbology.


	15. HereForever

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**I'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter I have written for this story!  
**_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Here.. Forever.  
**

Hermione rushed to the grounds to Herbology. The cool air pushed against her pink cheeks, making her shiver.

"Ah, Ms. Granger, you are late." said Professor Sprout, her face in disappointment.

"I know, professor. I'm very sorry. I just had a few complications this morning."

"I'm sorry dear, I'll have to take five points away from Gryffindor for tardiness." Hermione stared to the ground. It could have been worse deduction. She frowned, she couldn't believe she was late. Worse, having points taken away. "please take your seat." she rushed to the empty chair beside Harry, who stared at her with confusion. Hermione was never late, so her recent behavior Harry wasn't coming to understand.

"Why were you late?" asked Harry quietly. Hermione glanced over to Draco who was staring at the Mandrake in the corner, his thoughts of how in their second year at Hogwarts one of them bit his fingers, leaving a disgusting cut that oozed green slime for days.

"I had to talk to Ginny about something. Then write a letter to my mum about something important." she snapped. Harry nodded, looked to Ron, who was sitting beside him, then continued with his work.

"Can anyone tell me about Shrivelfig?" asked Professor Sprout, who stood over a large pot that was placed on her desk. Hermione's hand immediately went up. "Yes, Ms. Granger?"

"Shrivelfig comes from Abyssinia. When the plant is skinned, it is one of the ingredients for a Shrinking Solution. Which is how it got it's name."

"Very good, m'dear. Ten points to Gryffindor."

Draco looked over to Hermione and rolled his eyes. She shot him a playful look before looking away. A look that the jet black hair boy, with the lightening bolt scar noticed.

* * *

When Hermione walked alone back to the castle after Herbology, Draco walked past with Blaise, and Harry came up from behind Hermione, grabbing her by the upper arm. Ron followed close behind her, with a confused look written on his face.

"Get off of me, you're hurting my arm!" said Hermione trying to budge from his grip. "What?!" she finally shouted in his face, after he pushed her further away from the crowd against a tree.

"What the bloody hell is going on with you?" asked Harry, his facial expressions filled with anger.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Harry." said Hermione, as she finally pulled away from his tight grip.

"I saw that during Herbology. I could see it the way the two of you looked at each other. I want to know what is going on between that ferret and you." Ron finally stepped up closer.

"There is something going on with the two of you?!" spat Ron. "Is that the reason why you don't bother giving Harry and I the time of day anymore? We aren't good enough for you anymore?! When we were the ones that defending you when the prat called you mudblood?!" his face was turning blood red, the fury building up, Hermione glanced away for a split second. The word hurting her feelings.

"It's none of your business! Neither one of you have the proper respect for girls! Especially you Ronald!" she said furiously, punching him in the chest. "You clearly well knew how I felt in the beginning for you! But you turn around and hurt me the way you did and you still think I would consider you my best friend?! You hardly talk to me because of the daft girl. You are insane, she is no different then Lavender. You two will end the same way. "

"Don't you dare talk-" said Ron, the tip of his ears bright red.

"Hermione, you clearly know better-"

"No, Harry-" she began, pointing her wand out to both of them. "If you ever touch me the way you just did again... I will personally make sure you regret that for the rest of your life."

Hermione picked up her school bag that had falling onto the ground beside her feet. Quickly running back up to the castle, she finally let the tears stream down her face. Friendships for over six years, how quickly it could be destroyed. She didn't want to go to Muggle Studies, she only wanted to cry. Rushing to Moaning Myrtle bathroom, she ran to the first stall and sat there to cry.

* * *

"Malfoy." said Ginny, her voice rushed as she tried to catch her breath. Draco turned around to face Ginny and Blaise. He had been in the library for the past hour, hoping that Hermione would have been in there studying. He hadn't seen her throughout the rest of the day which was odd to him and his letter he had sent to her after Herbology still had no response.

"Yeah?" he said after putting the potions book back on the shelve.

"Have you seen Hermione at all today?" she asked when he didn't say anything else to her.

"No, not since after Herbology..I sent her a letter this morning but she hasn't answered me. I was hoping that she would be in here." he said, glancing around one last time in hopes that Hermione would appear. Ginny glanced at Blaise, before he spoke.

"Ginny, just tell him." said Blaise, quietly. Ginny stared at him for a moment; when she didn't respond he spoke again. "Mate, No one can-"

"I've been trying to find Hermione all afternoon. No one can find her.. During lunch I over heard Ron and Harry talking about her. Lavender Brown told me that she skipped all of her afternoon classes."

"What happened?" asked Draco at once.

"Apparently the three of them got in a a huge argument after Herbology and she ran off after threatening both of them."

As soon as Ginny finished her sentence, he ran out of the library. He knew three places Hermione would be at. The first one he tried was their classroom. When he entered the room, it was pitch black. He lit the candles to make sure that Hermione wasn't sitting in the dark. When he noticed the room was empty, he went to check Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He knew most people went there when they were upset because no one usually went into the bathroom since Myrtle was there.

"Oh hello, you are not supposed to be in here... No, No." said Myrtle from her stall, looking down to Draco. "Aren't you the one that got in a fight with Harr-"

"That doesn't matter right now.. I'm wondering if you have seen Hermione Granger?"

"Oh, yes! She was very upset. She was in here all afternoon. You just missed her!"he was becoming agitated with the way she smiled as if Hermione being upset was a pleasant thing.

"Do you have any idea where she may have went?"

"No.." she grabbed on her chin. "She didn't mention having to go see a boy.. She didn't say who though." he left the bathroom, hoping he knew who the boy she mentioned was. He rushed to the seventh floor. Trying to catch his breath when he reached the top of the stairs. He stopped before he turned the corner that switched off to the corridor where his room was. Taking a deep breath, he began to walk around. His heart sinking to his stomach.

Hermione sat on the ground to where his portrait was. Her head between her legs. He walked slowly to her, afraid to say anything to her.

"Hermione?" he said quietly. She didn't look up, but reminded still. "Come on, lets get you inside." she looked up to him. He could see the tear stains that went down her cheeks. Her hair was messier then usual from the heat her body made from being upset and her eyes were red from the past tears.

"Draco.." she said, so faintly.

"Come on, Hermione." he hated to see her this way. She looked awful and he wanted to know what had really happened with her and the two gits. "Let's go." he said tilting his hand toward the entrance of his room. He looked so innocent when he did that to her. With a moment of hesitation, she took Draco's hand and he pulled her up.

"Red rose." he said to the portrait. Still holding his hand Hermione followed Draco into his dark room.

"Draco, I can't see anything." she said quietly, her hand gripping tighter against his. "Hush." a light was turned on and Hermione was able to see the bedroom. Most of everything in there was black or green. His bedsheets were a jade green, with black outline. Bookshelves filled around the room with random books from throughout time. A small couch was in a corner, with more books spread across, some of them opened and the rest closed. Hermione immediately went the bed and sat at the end of it.

"Are you hungry?" she nodded, hearing her stomach growl. "Right. Well, It's dinner time now.. I'll go get us some dinner.. I'll be back. Will you be okay here for a little bit alone?"

"Yeah." she mumbled. Taking another glance toward her, he left the room and went the the Great Hall to the Slytherin table. Ginny sat beside Seamus and Dean, doing everything in her power to not have anything to do with Harry and Ron. Ginny watched as Draco stood behind Blaise, mumbling a few words to him before taking a plate full of food and leaving the Great Hall. Blaise looked to Ginny, giving her a shrug before turning away.

When Draco came back to his room from the Great Hall, he took the plate of food to his bedroom to find Hermione in the center of the bed asleep. She looked peaceful as she had the night before. As if nothing mattered to her at the time. Her cheeks were a rosy pink, and her lips were a faint pink. Draco just had the sudden urge to kiss her in her sleep, wake her up to know that she would okay.. No matter what had happened earlier that morning.

He placed the food at the bed side table, getting into bed and tucking Hermione in. "I'm here.. Always." he whispered in her ear.

* * *

**So I stayed up to finish writing this chapter because I like to update at least one chapter a day. So its now 2 in the morning. I'm positive I'm never going to fall asleep now because its currently storming like mad now.. thundering and lightening and raining! Hard! :( I'll be up forever now. **


	16. Breakfast Date

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**wow. thanks for all of the reviews! I went up! roaring_star.  
**_

_**Yesterday I went to the dentist and I walked into the room and a few people were in there... I sit down and they all just say, "OH MY GOD, you look like Hermione Granger from Harry Potter!" Sigh. The rest of the time I was in there getting my teeth cleaned I heard nothing but Harry Potter. Ha ha ha  
**_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Breakfast date  
**

Hermione had never felt so good in her life. She had falling asleep the previous night in Draco's bed. It felt like she had laid on clouds. It was the best sleep she had gotten in a long time. But then Draco laid near her on the end of the bed, sound asleep. She was fascinated by his beauty. He half smiled as he dreamed, not the smirk Hermione was so used too after many years. He was flawless. The way the light shinned through the window near the head of the bed glowed onto Draco and from the complexion of his skin he looked like an angel.

Hermione got out of bed to walk over to the mirror on the wall next to Draco's dresser. Her face was paler then normal and her cheeks were still red form crying the previous day. Her hair was in a tangled curly mess but it wasn't as wild as it normally went.

"Draco?" said Hermione quietly. sitting on the bed beside him. "Draco, wake up." he fidgeted in his sleep, not wanting to move. "Why is it I'm always the one waking you up?"

He rubbed his eyes. "Because you wake up too early." he said, his words slurring. He looked at his watch. "Granger! It's six in the morning. Let me sleep in till nine!" she sighed. Her stomach was growling in hunger.

"Please?" she said getting closer to his face. "I'm hungry."

"Fine. Okay, okay." he rubbed his eyes again, wiping away the tiredness. "Let's go to the kitchens and get some breakfast." he said as he stood up from the bed. She smiled and exited the room an he followed.

"Do you think we would get in trouble if we are caught?" asked Hermione when they reached the stairs.

"I doubt it. The teachers should be sleeping now. They only walk around at night." said Draco, as he let out a long yawn.

"I'm sorry... For coming to you last night. I should have went straight to my dormitory. I just didn't want too."

"Don't be sorry. You can come to me when ever something bothers me. I hate to admit, but I do enjoy you're company. Sometimes!" he smirked.

"Ha Ha..."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened? Did you get my letter yesterday too?"

"Yes, I got it. I just haven't read it yet."

"Oh okay. Well tell me what happened."

"Draco, they know..." she said so quietly that he almost was able to hear. "They have to know something is going on with the two of us."

"Potter and Weasley?"

"Yes. Harry saw the way we looked at each other during Herbology. After class he drug me basically into the woods trying to confront me about it!" she pulled her sleeve up. "Look at this!" he looked down at her slim, white arm. Around was small purplish bruises. "He asked me what was going on between the two of us and I don't told him I didn't know what he was talking about. Then Ron got involved. He didn't even know what was going on at first. He exploded once he found out. I made him more angry when I called his girlfriend a name.. They must hate me so much right now. I can't believe it.. I was so angry with them both and I told Harry if he ever grabbed me like he had just don't I would personally make sure he regretted it."

"Potter did that to you?" he said pointing to her arm. "I swear when I see him I will hex him." he said, his fists balled up to his sides. "I'll personally kill him!'

"Draco, no! It isn't worth your time."

"But they hurt you." he took his arms to relax him.

"Stop it and relax. It will be perfectly fine. We all just need time to blow off some steam. They are ridiculous boys who think they rule the world."

"Potter always thought that about himself. Just because he was the chosen one. Annoying prat if you ask me." she narrowed her eyes to him, in disagreement. "What? It's just an opinion." he tickled the pear on the portrait, which opened to the kitchens.

"Oh, Hermione!" said Dobby excitedly as he hopped from the stool he had just been sitting on. "You are up early, Mr. Malfoy." he said, wincing as he spoke to him.

"I know.." he glanced at his watch. "Blame, Granger over here."

"You didn't have to get up if you didn't want too."

"What can I get you two? Hungry? Thirsty?" he grabbed two goblets and filled them with pumpkin juice. "Dobby wants you to sit!" he placed the goblets on the table. Then brought up two plates with pancakes and eggs.

"Oh thank you, Dobby." said Hermione kindly, as she took a seat at the table.

"The pleasure is mine!" he disappeared with the rest of the house elves to help prepare for breakfast.

"Hermione, I am sorry about Potter and Weasley.. This is all my fault."

"This is not your fault. I never would have thought they would have acted this way.. It really isn't your fault. If anyone, it's mine. I should have known how they would have reacted." They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence.

Draco knew deep down it was his fault. If Hermione and him never befriended in the first place, the Golden Trio would still be perfect. But the way that Ron had always treated Hermione bothered him. She was a perfect witch, someone that he wanted to have in his life. The way Hermione used to stare at Ron; he wanted that feeling. He wanted Hermione to look at him as if he were the one. The one that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. To feel like they were each others half. He wanted Hermione to feel love with him.

They walked back to Draco's room in silence, both full from their breakfast. The sun was shinning through the windows more and the heat built up in the corridors. Every once in a while their hands bumping into each other as they walked. Hermione blushed, wishing she had enough courage to just grab his hand and hold it.

"I'm going to take a shower." Draco had said when they entered through the portrait hole. She nodded to him, going to his room to get her schoolbag. Draco's unread letter sat at the top of it and when she heard the bathroom door shut, she opened it.

_Hermione, _

_There is something about you today.. You seem to almost be glowing. _

_I quiet enjoy looking at you. Ha ha. I'm sure that probably sounds very_

_strange too. I'm looking forward to this Ball now. Since you're my date._

_I decided I'll probably go with wearing a normal tuxedo. My vest will _

_be white and my mask is going to be black. Does that sound okay to_

_you? I can always change it, depending on what you plan to wear. I _

_haven't seen you since Herbology either. Where have you been?  
_

_-DM_

Hermione couldn't help but to smile as she read the letter. She had been incredibly happy that morning because she had woken up next to him. She had got to spend the night cuddled up to him, which made her feel save. She read the top two lines over and over again. When finally looking up, a barn own was at the window, tapping annoyingly against the glass. It carried two heavy packages with it. She jumped up at once, knowing that it was from her mum.

_Hermione!_

_Your father says hello. I'm sending you two dresses. One package is the dress that _

_you asked for. It's white, but the hemming of it is blue. I know you're going to look_

_beautiful in it. It's my favorite dress that I own, so please do be careful with it. I hope_

_I sent you the right mask you mentioned too. It's the only one I could find. The other_

_package I sent you is a dress that I think Ginny would look marvelous in. If it doesn't _

_do any justice for her, let me know and I can keep looking. I think possibly a darker _

_mask for her would work. Maybe even a white one like yours! Oh dear, I really wish _

_I could be there to see you. You're going to look wonderful. Love you dear! Hopefully_

_I'll hear from you soon. _

_-Mum _

She was so excited to have the dresses already that she had to rush to tell Ginny.

_Draco, _

_I just read your letter. I had reasons to why I may have looked as if I were _

_glowing. I woke up positively happy yesterday. I'm very glad that you are  
_

_going to be my date for the ball. I wouldn't want to have it any other way. _

_I think what you want to wear already would be perfect. I plan to wear a _

_white dress and my mask will be white. We are going to look stunning! _

_Ha ha. Well, I'm sorry to run off like this but I have to rush to Ginny and  
_

_inform her on a few things that my mum just sent me in the post. _

_I'll see you soon! _

_-HG_

_p.s; you take showers longer then any girl I know. _

Hermione left the letter on Draco's bed, knowing that he would see it as soon as he walked in the room. Gathering her belongings, she rushed out to go to the girl's dormitory to wake Ginny up.

* * *

**AUTHOR NOTE:::: I SWEAR THE NEXT CHAPTER will include the ball!!! AHOY. I'm really hoping that this links work. I know most of you are very curious to what the dresses I had in mind look like, but I can't figure out how to past the link with the pictures on here.. **

**So if you want to see the dresses, give me your emails and I will email the dresses to you. **

**Thanks for the reviews!  
**


	17. A Ball to Never Forget

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: A Ball to Never Forget.  
**

It had been three weeks since the morning she had received the dresses from her mum. Hermione was now standing in Draco's bedroom with Ginny and Luna. He had let the three girls use his room to get ready since it would only take him a few minutes before and the girls the entire day to get ready. Hermione and Ginny's dresses were hanging on the door to the room, waiting to be worn. Hermione was now sitting in the chair letting Luna and Ginny do their magic on her.

By the time Hermione's hair was completed, the girls had pinned some of her top layers back and curled her hair. Instead of the messy curls Hermione was so used to having fall down on her face; what now came down were beautiful soft brown curls, with glitter thrown in it. Her makeup followed with some cover-up that made her skin look perfect and completely flawless. With a slight touch of eyeliner on her top and bottom eye lids, and mascara to give her eyelashes the darker and longer fill. She stood up and finally looked into the mirror. For the first time in her life she thought she looked wonderful. The only time she would ever consider herself to look beautiful. She couldn't wait for the night to come. Draco would surely drool over her.

After a moment of looking over herself, it was Ginny's turn to get beautiful. Luna and Hermione curled her hair hair and let it fall down past her shoulders. With a light touch of blue eyeshadow and mascara she was ready. Luna then took her turn by letting the girls turn her curly long hair, to sleekly straight. She looked marvelous with her curly mess straight. She hardly needed makeup to make her flawless skin ready.

Luna changed into her dress first. She had picked a turquoise dress that brought out her bluish grey eyes out.

"_Harry_-" began Hermione. "Will love you in this dress." she ended. Hermione, Harry and Ron hadn't spoken since that morning outside of Herbology. Once in a while she would catch the boys glance at her direction; but nothing was ever said to her from them. She often skipped lunch and went to breakfast and dinner to keep Ginny company. When she wasn't at the Great Hall to eat or in classes, she stayed in the library or stayed somewhere with Draco. After the fight the three of them had, Harry had asked Luna to be his date since the two of them didn't have a date.

"Yes, I sure hope so." said Luna very happily as she looked into the mirror at herself. As she placed her mask on. It was identical to her dress. the same turquoise color with the same interior design.

Then Ginny changed second. Hermione was so happy when she walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom. Ginny looked wonderful in the blue dress. It fit her perfectly well and brought out her nice curves. Her mask was a white color, with small diamonds that went around the edges of it.

"You look great!" said Hermione happily.

"Thanks to you! Thank you so much Hermione."

"Blaise is going to love you in this too." added Luna after she sat down on the bed, excited.

"You're turn, Hermione. Go put on that dress." said Ginny staring at her through the mirror.

Hermione grabbed her dress and turned on her heel to the bathroom. She took a few moments to put it on. Her hands were shaking from the nerves built up in her system. She already felt the butterflies building in her stomach and she hadn't even seen Draco yet! But no doubt, she knew he looked stunning as he normally did. When she finally exited the bathroom and walked into the room both of the girls jaws dropped.

Luna snapped out of her daydream, staring at Hermione. "Oh my god.." was all that she was able to say.

"Hermione... You're going to have every boy drooling over you." said Ginny, she was still shocked. Hermione let out a heavy sigh. She felt as if she were going to be sick from the nerves.

* * *

"They are taking to long.." began Draco as he stood with Blaise out in front of the Great Hall. Draco was wearing a black tuxedo with a white vest. He had a white flower that stuck out the front pocket of the jacket. His mask was in his hand and it was a basic black with a bit of a weird swirl design on the ends of it. Nevertheless, it still was perfect for the boys face. Blaise was wearing the same thing, but instead his vest was the same color blue that Ginny's dress was.

"You know girls. They take hours to get ready." said Blaise, leaning against the wall. "Relax, Draco. I've never seen you like this before." he chuckled. There was half the school walking in and out of the Great Hall, waiting for their dates to arrive and others just walking to look at others dress or going to the Hall to dance and have a good time.

"There is Ginny." said Blaise, standing tall off the wall. He gabbed at her beauty. "I didn't think she would look this wonderful. She walked down the stairs slowly, with Luna at her side.

"I'll see you inside, Ginny." said Luna happily and she departed going into the Hall to find Harry.

"Where's Hermione?" asked Draco when Ginny came to Blaise. Ginny almost rolled her eyes.

"Calm down. She's nervous. She's trying to find herself!" Ginny laughed a bit. "She'll be down in a moment."

But by the time she had finished her sentence. Most of the students around the Ginny, Draco and Blaise their heads were turned looking at the one that was standing at the top of the stairs. Her white dress fell down onto the ground and when she walked it flowed around her letting her skin sparkle. She was as perfect as any angel anyone could imagine. Draco looked up to see what everyone was staring at. In her hand she carried a small mask that only covered her house and upper nose. It was an older fashion mask with the outline of it with pearls. Then a silver shimmering outline near the nose.

He was shocked. For the first time because of a girl, Draco's jaw dropped. Hermione was the one who had everyone looking at her. She was more perfect then an angel to him and she was his. She walked nervously down the steps and smiled as she saw Draco stand there looking at her.

"Hermione.. Goodness. You are better then perfect!" gossip immediately started as soon as she went to Draco and took his hand. This night was too good to be true already. Hermione knew she wouldn't be the talk of the night because of the way she looked but because Draco was her date. Both of them looked perfect together.

"Shall we go in?" asked Blaise as glances were still being thrown in their direction. The students around them were confused, boggled that Blaise Zabini and Ginny were together along with Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger together. The three of them nodded, as they placed their masks on.

"Shall we?"asked Draco putting his arm out for her to take. She let out a big smile, with a small laugh and took his muscular arm.

The Great Hall had been decorated with white and black lights and in the back, there was a display of different meals for the selected students and silver plates that followed through the long table. There were several of the teachers milling about through out the all, but none of them seemed to care about their surroundings as they were trying to enjoy their time also. The long four house tables had been taken away and replacing them were round tables that were spread randomly about. Some of the tables were empty as others had students sitting there gossiping with one another.

As the couple walked into the room, it was as if she were coming down the stairs again. Heads turned from all sorts of directions to get a good look at Hermione. She turned red in embarrassment. She didn't believe she looked that good.

"Care to dance?" asked Draco letting her arm drop as he took her hand. Hermione nodded and Draco led the way into the dance crowd. Hermione took notice of the jealously that filled the girls eyes when they noticed her with Draco with the guys looking at Draco in jealously as he had Hermione's arm. They came closer together when Draco took them into the middle of the crowd and they swayed together in the music.

Hermione's body moved in the same rhythm with Draco, their body's perfectly in tune with each other. Draco did everything in his power to be as close to her as he possibly could. She could feel his warm breath on her neck. To Hermione being with Draco on the dance floor made it feel like time had stopped. She felt like the Hall full of the students around her, was an empty hall with her and Draco just in the middle dancing alone. Just for a moment, she closed her eyes and felt the perfection built around her. She had never been more happy as she was now with someone else. In just the short matter of months of being with Draco, she felt the need for him. How there was something about him that drew her in, always wanting more.

She opened her eyes, still following in his rhythm and they didn't take their gaze from one another. He only smiled to her. The night had just begun and it was perfect already. They had heard three different songs but Hermione couldn't stop clinging onto Draco. Their foreheads touched and neither one of them moved to pull away. Hermione just wanted to kiss him but couldn't pull herself to do so for not knowing if he wanted the same too. But finally, the moment she had been hoping so, Draco began to lean in closer to her. Their lips only mere inches apart from each other.

"HERMIONE." she heard behind her, the person shouting over the music. She quickly turned around to see Harry standing there behind her with Ron at his side. Luna and Carmen were behind the boys.

"Harry. Leave-" began Luna, but Harry silenced her. Ginny came walking up, holding Blaise's hand. Harry then stared at Ginny in astonishment.

"Oh! You two?!" he said. He looked back to Hermione. "A word with you, if you don't mind?"

"Potter, go somewhere will you? Hermione and I are having a wonderful time. We don't need Weasley and you to ruin it." spat Draco, pulling himself from Hermione's grip, from holding him back.

"You! Stay out of it!" said Ron yelling in Draco's face.

Draco began to pull out of wand. "STOP IT, ALL OF YOU. What do you want Harry?! I'm trying to have a good night for once! I don't need you to ruin it!" yelled Hermione at all of them.

"We just want to talk to you!" he said still yelling over he music. Hermione began to walk out of the hall, going through the door across to enter the courtyard. Harry and Ron quickly followed behind her leaving Luna and Carmen standing there.

"What do we do now?" asked Draco, watching after the door Hermione just exited out of.

"We can't follow them. Let's go take a seat. I need a breather." answered Ginny. With her following, Blaise, Draco and Luna found an empty table in the corner of the hall and left Carmen standing in the middle of the hall. Until she decided to find a few of her friends that had been invited to the Ball.

* * *

"Harry, what could you possibly want?" asked Hermione as she pulled her mask off, so angry that her face was turning red. "I can't believe you two would do this again. You're ruining a night that was going amazing! What is your problem?!" she sat down on a bench and Harry and Ron stood in front of her.

"You know we only mean well for you, 'Mione." said Ron quietly. She rolled her eyes. _Oh sure. _

"Oh, I'm quiet sure that you do. Get to the point, please. I would rather be inside with Draco."

"See! That's the thing! How could you possibly pick him over us?! We've been with you since the beginning. He has been there since the beginning insulting you. People don't just change over night, Hermione. How do you know he isn't going to do something wrong to you in the end? What will happen then? You haven't talked to us in three weeks and you haven't even so much of took notice to us." said Harry, trying to contain his temper.

"Well, Harry. You are right, people don't just change over night. But I've been spending time with Draco since the beginning of term. Once you get past the sly remarks he comes up with, you take notice to him actually being a decent guy. At least he isn't the one that has been hurting me the entire term! He actually stays up with me and lets me talk to him about everything!"

"Like we haven't in the past?!"

"ALL you two want to do is copy my homework! You never once have cared for my feelings! You don't mind what goes on with my life as long as I'm there to help you with whatever you're having complications with!"

"I'm sorry, Hermione!" said Harry, finally getting upset with her. "If that's what you want to hear. I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I hurt you and for the way I reacted." she narrowed her eyes at Ron, waiting for him to speak.

He took a deep breath before he spoke. Almost having to force the words out of him. "I'm sorry too.. I know I hurt you. This whole thing wouldn't be going on if it weren't for me."

"Yeah, you're probably right." she snapped, she stood up from the bench. "But that didn't stop you from before, Ronald. I hope you are truly happy with that ridiculous girl."

"I hope you're happy with that little ferret!" he said, finally snapping back.

"Please tell me you are not dating him." said Harry, his voice finally lowered into a normal tone.

"No, Harry. I'm not dating him. He is just my date for the night."

"I bet you want to date him." mumbled Ron, under his breath.

"I heard that and if that is true, it is none of your business to begin with." she tighten her hands into fists, getting angry with the boys again.

"It is too our business!" she grabbed the bridge of her nose taking in deep breaths.

"Hermione, you know well enough that we can't just approve of you ever dating him.. Or even just being friends with him. After everything he has done!" said Harry trying to come to understanding.

"I know that well enough. Which is why you should at least give him a shot with friendship. I did at least and I am perfectly fine now. Nothing is going to come bad with this. I don't know why you think that. The war is over with and his father is in Azkaban. What bad can come out of this?"

"The fact that Bellatrix is still out there!"

"Honestly, Harry? Do you honestly believe that Draco would be talking to her? He came to the light before you even defeated Voldemort! Dumbledore trusts him. So why can't you? You don't know the truth about him. He hates his father. He never wanted to be on the dark side. So please just believe me when I say that about him. I want to have fun tonight." she was now begging to them.

Ron sighed, he didn't like it when he saw Hermione like this either. Neither one of the boys were easily convinced about Draco.

"Fine, I'm only going to be accepting of this because I know this will make you happy. But that doesn't mean I'm going to in any attempts try to be his friend." said Harry.

"Yeah, and when you want to talk about him, go to Ginny. I don't want to hear it." said Ron.

Hermione sighed at his arrogance. "Fine, that's better then nothing."

"I miss you." both Harry and Ron said together.

She chuckled lightly. "I've missed you both too."

she pulled them into a tight hug, happy that she had both of her best friends back again.

"Now, Ron. You really need to do something about that girl.. She is all over you way too much! It makes me sick!" said Hermione.

"Hermione!" yelled Ron. but she only shrugged, and sent a smile toward Harry.

* * *

**I'm stopping this chapter because it is WAY WAY to long. More of the ball is in the next chapter that I'm writing. I hope this keeps you occupied long enough! Took me forever to write it and get it half way to where I wanted it to be. I wish I was better with writing and expressing things. Blah. **

**OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PART TWO to this chapter. Which is the next chapter. lol.  
**


	18. A Ball to Never Forget Part II

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**this is not exactly how i planned to have this chapter turn out to be.. But I had a awful night and i think my writing is just reflecting from that. bogus.  
**_

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: A Ball to Never Forget [part II] **

When Hermione walked back into the Ball she noticed that Draco, Blaise and Ginny were sitting at the table in the corner discussing something as Luna sat there quietly daydreaming. The three of them pulled away from one another when Ginny noticed Hermione walking over to them.

"Everything okay? Where are the boys?" asked Ginny as she stood up walking closer to Hermione.

"Yeah, everything is fine. Their still outside, wanted to cool off more.." she looked over to Luna. "Harry asked me to come fetch you. He asked that you come outside to meet him." she nodded, departing from the group.

"Tell me what happened." said Draco as Hermione sat down at the chair beside him.

"Nothing, they were just asking me about you. Why I came with you and I told them because I wanted to have a friendship with you and that you weren't as bad of a guy that we always had put you out to be."

"As bad? I'm still bad?" he smirked.

"I didn't mean that! I told them I wanted to be here with you and I could see past the sky remarks you manage to always come up with."

"What did they say to that?" asked Blaise, interested in the conversation.

"They said they didn't want anything to do with Draco and they didn't approve of him still... But, they are being reasonable about it. I guess they aren't going to bother me anymore about you and if I ever want to talk about Draco I have to go to Ginny." she smiled toward the red head.

"But of course." said Ginny smiling in return.

"Oh, talk about me often?" asked Draco standing up.

"You don't need to get your ego higher anymore. You're conceited enough."

"Oh, ha ha. Do you want to dance some more?"

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hermione." she said smiling, as she left with Blaise. Hermione gaped for leaving her.

"No, I'm a bit worn out. Unless you want to of course." he shook his head.

"No, I think I'm danced out enough for the night."

"Great, I'm doing to get this dress off." he frowned.

"You look like an angel with it on." she blushed. "I'm not just saying that. You look better then one."

"You look pretty amazing yourself." she brushed against his hand, before finally just going in and lacing their fingers together. She followed Draco out of the Hall, smiling at Harry, Ron and Luna as she passed them. "Where are we going?"

"Back to my room of course." Hermione frowned. She didn't know what to expect with that. Instead of protesting against it, she followed him up to the seventh floor. Entering his room and lighting the candles with a quick flick of his wand.

"Hermione, do you want to stay here for the night? You don't have too. I would enjoy your company." he said quietly when he released her hand.

Hermione breathed in deeply. Unsure of what to say. She couldn't decide what she wanted to do. She wanted nothing more but to kiss the perfect blonde. But by staying the night with him she didn't know what he would think would overcome. She didn't want him to assume differently to what she wanted.

"Hermione?" he asked, when she didn't answer. "You don't have to, I just thought-"

"No, it's fine. I'd like to stay." she said quickly, before she could stop herself. She mentally slapped herself but she could see the smile that Draco had when she accepted his invitation.

"Great!" he said happily. He sounded like a little child. "I have clothes you can wear." they walked into his room and went straight to his dresser. "Do you want just boxers and a shirt?"

She nodded to him. "Yes. That's fine."

He began to hum as he searched in his draws. He pulled out a black tank top and dark green boxers with _DM _on the front. Hermione began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked when he handed her the clothing.

"You honestly have your initials on your boxers?" she asked, containing her laughter in.

"It wasn't me that did that. My mother always did that."

"In case you lose them, I suppose. People will always know who to return them too." he narrowed his eyes at her. "Okay, I'm sorry for teasing you..." he didn't move. She glanced around the room, ready to already crash in the bed to sleep. "Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Go ahead." he motioned toward the door.

She almost ran to the bathroom. Not understanding why she had even agreed to stay the night with him. She was so incredibly nervous now standing alone with him. She didn't know how to react and she didn't want him to think that she didn't want him. The truth was Hermione wanted everything about him. She loved everything about him. She couldn't stand being apart from him ever so she couldn't understand why she was reacting in such ways.

She decided to take a bath, trying to relax herself and to taking her time. She had half hoped that if by taking her time, Draco would get bored and fall asleep before she came back from the bathroom. She had relaxed Draco's clothes also fit her perfectly. The tank top wrapped around her upper body perfect along with his boxers. When Hermione entered his bedroom her hope had been shot when she saw Draco.

He was laying on the bed, waiting for her to appear. Without a shirt on, just with boxers on. She gawked at his body.

"How do you manage to look beautiful with boxers and a tank top on too?" he asked as he watched her entire the room. He chuckled as he watched her stare at him up and down.

"How do you manage to look beautiful without clothes on?" she asked, before she could stop herself again. He raised an eyebrow.

"Well then.." he said quietly, his voice in a different tone as he sat up from his laying position, and he stayed straight at Hermione, not taking his gaze away from her. "What shall we do?"

* * *

**Ha-ha. I'm cruel for leaving it to this.. What do you think will happen next? I'm still debating. I guess opinions would be appreciated!  
**


	19. Bad News

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Bad News.  
**

Hermione stood in the door for a moment in thought. Draco only smiled to her as he put his hand out. She took it, her hand shaking from the nerves.

"Your freezing!" he said as he pulled her closer to him to the bed. "Don't be nervous, Hermione." she smiled and let out a small sigh, as she came closer to him on the bed. She looked deep into his grey eyes. Instead of the dark empty eyes she had been so used to looking at growing up, now was filled with something more. She knew he was happy where he was and wanted to be there with her. His eyes almost filled with love.

"Keep me warm." she said quietly as he pulled her onto the mattress.

"Sure." they both got under the covers. She had her back to him and he pulled her closer to him to where her back touched his bare chest. His warm skin immediately helped her body temperature rise.

"Hermione?" he said quietly, whispering in her ear.

"Yes, Draco?" she answered, not bothering to look over her shoulder to him since they were now in darkness.

"Thank you.. For tonight. I can't recall ever having as much fun as I did with you tonight." she beamed.

"You're welcome. Thank you too.. I didn't even have this much fun at the Yule Ball."

Draco snorted. "Well, look who you went with!"

"Krum wasn't that bad!"

"Neither was Pansy.." he began to laugh. "Nah, yes she was." they both laughed together.

"I like hearing your laugh." she said moving closer to him again. He chuckled.

"I like seeing your face." he kissed her on the head. "Sweet dreams, Hermione."

* * *

"Hermione.. wake up sleepy." said Draco in her ear. She moaned, not wanting to move from the bed. She was still so exhausted from the previous night and she could feel her legs aching in pain.

"Noo.. Go away." she mumbled, trying to turn away from Draco. She could feel the mattress being pushed in as he sat down closer to her.

"Hey! This is my bed after all. It's time to wake up." She shook her head in disagreement, already falling back asleep. It was Sunday morning and she could hear the morning birds chirping outside. She suddenly then felt a heavy pressure laying on top of her, causing her to wake completely up.

"Ouf!" she said when it happened. "Draco! Get off! Your heavy!"

He looked down at her, his mouth half opened as if he were shocked by her words. "Are you calling me fat!" he said, pinching her.

"OW! NO NO NO!" she continuously said as he began to tickle her.

"Are you awake yet?!" he said laughing as she kept squirming underneath him.

"Yes!" she said, trying to catch her breath.

"I can't hear you!"

"Yes!"

"What?!"

"YES, YES YES!" he stopped tickling her. "Gosh, I do not like you Draco Malfoy!" he stared at her for a moment, still laying on top of her. He lightly smiled to her before rolling off of her.

"Yes, you do. You absolutely adore me, Granger!" he smiled a little, before looking over to her when she didn't say anything. She was trying to hide her face from blushing so hard.

"Yeah.." she quickly stood up from his bed. "You wish!" she ran to the bathroom.

"You're right.." he mumbled. she re-entered the room with her dress.

"I should probably head back to the Gryffindor tower." she said as she came in. "Ginny is probably over analyzing everything if she has noticed I haven't returned yet."

"Alright.. You leaving like that?" he asked, noticing that she was still wearing his boxers and tank top. She glanced down to her clothes.

"Oh.. Hm."

"Here." he said going to his dresser and pulling out a regular black shirt and black pants. "I'm sure they will be a bit big on you, but should be well enough to get you to your dormitory." he smiled, taking the clothes from him.

"Thank you, Draco." she kissed him on the cheek. He sighed, sitting down on the bed.

* * *

"Tell me everything." said Ginny when Hermione and her walked to their tree in front of the Black Lake.

"Nothing exactly happened, Ginny. When we left the Ball we went back to his room. I took a shower and I burrowed some of his boxers and a shirt.. When I came out of the bathroom..." she began to giggle remembering Draco laying on the bed so perfectly. Wearing nothing but boxers.

"What! Tell me!" said Ginny, slapping the Hermione's arm, playfully.

"He was laying on the bed, with just boxers on!"

"WHAT! You two didn't-" but Hermione cut her off.

"NO! No, we didn't, Ginny.. Nothing happened. He pulled me into bed. We just cuddled and talked for a little bit before we both fell asleep. Then this morning he was trying to wake me and I wouldn't budge. So he jumped on top of me and started tickling me. I thought I was going to wet myself."

"Are you telling me. You still haven't gotten a kiss? No goodnight kiss? What is wrong with the two of you. Why don't either one of you just jump to it now? Hermione, Hermione. It's obvious. Why can't you see it? Blaise tells me it all the time."

"What are you talking about Ginny?"

"I'm talking about Malfoy and you! How Malfoy is completely in love with you! He tells Blaise all the time. Why do you think he wants to spend so much time with you. The way he says this to you in his letters. It's like he attempts to hint it to you! I even see it."

"Ginny, that is because you apparently see everything that others miss."

"No. It's because I pay close attention to the people around me. I know you feel the same way about him too, 'Mione. Admit it you!"

"I do! Okay? I do. I have for the longest time. Probably longer then how you think he has."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that... Tell him. You need to tell him soon."

She sighed. "Maybe."

* * *

Hermione woke up the following morning, knowing today would be the day she to tell Draco how she felt. Her stomach was growling in her hunger, and she had classes all afternoon. She needed to figure out when she would tell him.

"Hermione, have you seen the paper today?" asked Harry as he flipped to the front of the Daily Prophet. She had just walked down to the Great Hall to join Harry and Ron for breakfast.

"Not yet. How come?" she asked taking the empty seat beside him. He glanced over to Ron before speaking.

"I think you should see this.." he said, handing her the Daily Prophet. She immediately gasped as she read the front page.

**LUCIUS MALFOY ATTEMPT TO BREAK OUT**

**FINAL CRIME, COMES TO KISS.**

_Late in the night past midnight, Azkaban reported_

_that Lucius Malfoy was in attempts to breaking out._

_Close to success with his attempt, the night guard along_

_with a dementor caught him before it was too late. He stated_

_he had wishes to return home to his beloved family, which the minister_

_did not take to liking to agreeing with. This morning at precisely 11' AM, the one_

_dementor that had caught Malfoy, performed the Sacred Kiss. _

_SEE MORE ON, PAGE B-12_

Hermione didn't finish the story. As soon as she looked up to the Slytherin table and noticed that Draco wasn't sitting there among the students she ran out of the Great Hall.

"Hermione!" yelled Harry but he didn't go after her, as Ginny placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't. Let her go. " the girl said quietly. Harry wanted to chance after her, afraid of what would happen if Draco did find her. He knew how he was when he was angry.


	20. Can I Keep You?

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**Thanks for the reviews everyone. I'm probably hated. Still no kiss! but its coming. Very soon. **_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: Can I keep you?  
**

Hermione ran as fast her feet would take her to Draco's own room. She knew he would be somewhere in there, hiding from everyone. Especially her. When she got to the portrait to his room, she hesitated before she entered. It was dark, all the candles that normally gave off the light were unlit. The only light that came from anywhere was from Draco's room. Hermione slowly walked into it but he wasn't there.

Exiting the room she noticed the staircase further down away from his bedroom. He had to be up there then, she thought. She knew Draco wouldn't roam the hallways and want to show his face. She walked up the staircase, to a tower that she had never been on before. Draco was near the window of it. Leaning down against the wall, his back facing her. She could hear the quiet sobs that escaped his chest.

"Draco.."she said quietly. he looked over to her and quickly looked away when he saw her. His quiet sobs stopped. "Draco, I-" she moved closer to him.

"Go away." he said darkly.

"I know you're-"she stopped move closer to him.

"Cant you hear, Granger? I said go away! NOW!" he was shouting at her now. She still didn't move from her spot. His tone was so familiar from when he used to insult her in the past. It wasn't the soft tone she had become to love.

"Draco! Stop it! I'm not going anywhere!"

"GO AWAY!" he was now screaming at her.

"Please.. Talk to me."

Turning away from her, "You can't listen once, can you! I said go away, mudblood!" she flinched at the word. He gasped from what he had just called her. Hermione began to back away from him. He stood up and looked to her, she could see the tear trails on his face. As her own eyes blurred from tears.

"If that is how you feel." she said, trying to contain her own sobs. He was crying again, the tears screaming down his face. But Hermione still felt sorry for him, even after what he had just called her. It was as if she had just been ripped apart. Her heart wanting to fail.

"No.. I didn't... I didn't mean it- it only slipped.. " he fell down on to the ground again. "I'm sorry- I lov- No, I'm sorry.." he stopped twisting his words and covered his face with his hands. Hermione stared at him for a long period of time before walking over to him.

"Shh.." she said leaning down in front of him. "It's okay.. Everything is going to be alright." said whispered in his ear, as he wrapped his arms around her. He sobbed in her arms. She felt her own tears stream down her cheeks. "I'm here for you. Always, Draco Malfoy." he didn't answer her immediately but remained in her arms to cry. Hermione didn't know how long she stayed in the tower with Draco, nor did she care. She could never leave him and he didn't want her too either.

He finally looked up to her, wiping away her tears that were coming on her cheeks.

"Haven't I told you before, girls like you shouldn't cry." she smiled barely.

"Oh, please." she cupped his face into her hands, using her thumbs to wipe away his tears.

"Hermione...I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to call you that.. I'm just so-" he paused, thinking of the right word. "-angry. You've done everything for me." he was still holding on to her. He was staring straight at her, afraid of letting her go.

"Draco, it's okay. I know you're upset. Call me whatever you want." he got close to her so their foreheads were touch like they were at the Ball.

"Don't ever leave me. Please?"

"I wont. I'll always be here. I promise, Draco." he closed his eyes; she could feel his warm breath on her lips.

"Can- Can I keep you? Always and forever?" he asked whispering. She smiled as they both cried silently again.

"Of course. You-" but before she could say anything else to him, his smooth, soft lips came crashing onto hers. Finally, after all the time she had been waiting, she finally got her kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck pressing against him harder, never wanting the final moment to be gone. He intertwined his fingers into hers and held onto them as tightly as he could.

"Draco." she broke apart. "I-" kiss. "-Need-" kiss. "-to-" kiss. "-tell-" kiss. "-you-" "-something." kiss.

"It can't wait?" he said as he began to kiss her again. "I've been fighting the urge to kiss you since the first day we began to talk."

"You've made me wait this long?!" she pulled away from him.

He rubbed his face, trying to get the still teared eyes to stop hurting. "How was I supposed to know that the Gryffindor princess fancied the Slytherin prince?" he said, grinning.

"Oh, I thought it was obvious. I'll try harder from now on."

"I don't want to go to classes today, Hermione.. Will you stay with me?"

"Well, I-" she made eye contact which was probably the worst thing to do, as she saw the remorse filled in. "Okay, fine. I'll stay with you." he kissed her again. Taking her hand once more and guiding her down the staircase to his bedroom. They laid down together, heads touching one another. Hermione held his hand, as another was placed on her stomach, Draco's freehand was rested behind his head.

"Is your mum going to be okay?" asked Hermione, in thought of what happened.

"I really don't know.. She loved my father. She loved him a lot. I'm not sure if what the papers say is really true. I can't imagine my father ever trying to escape. Especially since Voldemort isn't around anymore.. I don't know. I hope she will be okay. Christmas holidays is in a few weeks. So I'll see her soon."

"This is awful. I feel so sorry for her." she looked to Draco. "If she ever needs anything, I'll always try to be of some assistance." she tried to smile to him.

"There's no need. She'll be okay. Just with time." he placed a hand on Hermione's cheek. "You said earlier you wanted to tell me something?" Hermione's heart sank. She had almost hoped that he would have forgotten that she needed to tell him something. "What is it, Hermione?"

"No-Nothing. It's not the time to tell you." she said, wanting to pull away.

"It's okay, you can tell me anything right now." she shook her head.

"No, not this."

he cupped her face. "Hermione Granger. Tell me!" she shook her head. "Please?"

"No. I really can't! Not right now anyway."

"Fine. That's okay because I already know what you were going to tell me."

"Oh really? What would that be then?"

He smiled brightly. "Well it would have me responding with, _I love you too."_

* * *

**I'm hungry.**


	21. A Ride Home

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**Thanks for the reviews everyone. I can't believe I've been going so long with this story. I still don't know how I want to end it. Oh, also at the end of this chapter they **_**use apparition to get to the Malfoy Manor.. I forgot to mention, they are legal to do so.  
**

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**Chapter Twenty-One: A Ride Home  
**

It had been near a month since that morning Hermione found Draco at the tower crying for his father. That confessed to each other their love and he asked her to be his always. So she was; most the students at Hogwarts didn't understand the sudden change between them. They first began to notice when neither one shouted insults at one another, when they would have a civil conversation when they were being forced together, the glances they made when they thought others around them weren't looking. Either way, they were both finally happy with someone. Happier then most people around them.

Even though Draco had still not fully forgiven himself for calling Hermione a mudblood that one morning, he did anything special for her to make up for it. It started with Draco buying her a sun dress. She didn't argue about it since she adored the dress completely. It was a sky blue, with small ruffles on the bottom of it, with a few beads. It had spaghetti straps and the fabric was stunning. Then the following day he gave her a diamond necklace which she also loved, but knew it cost more then she would have been able to afford.

"Draco! Stop. I don't need this." she said when he put it on her neck. "Stop trying to spoil me." he smiled at her innocently.

They were walking down the trail to get to the train. They were finally on winter break. Hermione had made plans to spend a week with Draco, then the remainder of the break she would staying at The Burrow. She was still giving the winter break to her parents, so they could go somewhere with out her and have fun. Her parent's didn't completely agree with her not coming home, but they didn't budge. They also thought she was staying with the Weasley's the entire break too. ;]

Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny found a compartment near the end of the train together. Draco followed Hermione everywhere and for the most part, sat there without saying a word while Harry and Ron were talking. Ginny, Hermione and Draco sat on one side; as the two other boys were on the other. They didn't say anything to the blonde boy until they were on the topic of Quidditch.

"Are you alright?" asked Hermione quietly, when he stopped speaking and stared at the window.

"I guess. Just thinking about my mum." he answered, not looking to her. He was afraid to see her concern.

"She's fine though, right?"

"I don't know. Some of her letters she didn't seem like herself. If you know what I mean."

"Malfoy. Can we ask you a question?" asked Harry, as he had been listening to Hermione and him talking.

"What?" he asked bluntly.

"Is what the Daily Prophet says happened to your father, what really happened?"

"Harry!" said Hermione, not approving. "You shouldn't ask that." he shrugged his shoulders. He had always been used to answering questions for people when he didn't want too. She rolled her eyes, having known to what he was thinking.

"It's fine. I guess everyone is probably curious. I don't actually know. We probably wont ever know either since he's basically dead now. I don't think my father would have ever tried to escape Azkaban since Voldemort isn't around anymore. I don't think it adds up. In my opinion, I think someone was trying to get him out but they were caught. Then the Minister doesn't know what to do so he gave assigned that he is to get the Kiss. Then makes up a story about him wanting to come home. I know well enough he wouldn't try to escape to come home to My mother and me." he didn't say anything else.

"Like who?" asked Ron. They were all staring him, completely interested with the theory.

"It's just a theory I have. It doesn't matter."

"But what if you're right?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange." no one said anything. No one had actually known if she were dead or alive. As she had fled near the end of the war. A few other death eaters had managed to escape the battle field too, but no one ever considered them as much as a threat as they did with Bellatrix. "I'm probably completely wrong though. But I feel as if Bellatrix would have tried to do something like that. Maybe to round up Death Eaters and try and become powerful again." Draco went on.

"But they don't even have Voldemort. They won't have a leader." said Ginny, trying to understand.

"Yes, true. But Bellatrix is very powerful, don't let her ever fool you. Apart from my father, Voldemort would go to Bellatrix for everything else. I also think she would do anything in her power to have revenge." Hermione grabbed Draco's hand, not wanting to discuss what they were talking about any longer. She didn't want to think about it. None of them said anything but glanced over to Harry who just stared at Draco.

"You really think she would do that?" Harry finally asked. Draco nodded.

They talked quietly among themselves as they arrived to the platform to get off. Harry, Ginny and Ron not paying attention quietly left the compartment, desperate to finally be getting off the train. Hermione and Draco stared at each other and as Hermione had been reaching for her bags up on the shelve, she quickly dropped her arms and went to Draco to kiss him.

"No matter what happens.. I always want to be yours." she said quietly. He kissed her once more.

"You promise?" he asked, shyly. She blushed, but then nodded. "I love you, Hermione."

"As I love you." they grabbed their bags from the top shelf above their heads, getting everything they needed they left the compartment to exit the train, hand in hand.

"Oh, Hermione!" said Molly Weasley has she was waiting for all of her children to find her so they could leave.

"Mrs. Weasley!" said Hermione as the older lady pulled her into a hug. She looked at Draco, as kindly as she could. She had never had a liking to the Malfoy family. "I'm sorry to hear about your father, Draco." she said. Then she pulled him into a hug, which shocked Hermione and himself.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." he finally said, when she didn't pull away.

"Your with Hermione now and she is like another daughter to me, so treat her well. You're lucky to have her." she said as she pulled out of the hug.

He smiled to her. "Yes, I'm very lucky." Hermione could see the tears forming into Mrs. Weasley's eyes.

"Well! Where is my Ginny?" she asked, when she noticed she was the only one missing. Hermione coughed and Draco look in the same direction. He almost began to laugh when he saw Ginny standing there beside a wall, kissing Blaise. "Ginny Weasley! Come on!"

Ginny glanced up to see her mother standing there. With one last peck, she left Blaise and joined the crowd. Mrs, Weasley scowled at her direction but Ginny began to talk before her mum could say anything to her.

"Hermione, you're coming in a week right?" she asked.

She nodded. "Yes. I'll be with Draco."

"You behave." began Mrs. Weasley. Draco immediately knew what she meant which caused him to blush. "I'll see you in a week then." she kissed Hermione on the cheek. "Lets go, you lot!"

Separately each of them hugged Hermione. Ron and Harry shook hands with Draco to be polite for Hermione's sake and Ginny gave him a quick hug before chasing after the boys.

"Ready then?" asked Draco, grabbing his stuff once again. Hermione nodded and followed Draco to go apparite to the Malfoy Manor.**  
**

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**question for the day: Did you think that Bellatrix and Voldemort were secretly in love? haha, my sister asked me that today. Give me your thoughts!  
**


	22. Malfoy Manor

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter. **_

_**To my question of the day in the last chapter..**__**I think that Bellatrix did love Voldemort. Which is why Draco says "She'll do anything to get revenge" on the train.**_

_**But, I don't know if I would believe that Voldemort showed it in return since he was so incredibly evil. He just used her loyalty to get what he wanted. But what I'm going to use for this story is that since she escaped (instead of dying as she really did in Deathly Hallows) I'm going to pretend that Voldemort asked her to escape. That he was protecting her because he realized he may did love her in return.  
**_

_**But with the real Harry Potter story, I think he may have realized he did in some way care for her. In a sick twisted way as if you do remember he screams when Mrs. Weasley kills her.  
**_

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**Chapter Twenty-Two: Malfoy Manor.**

Draco and Hermione arrived moments later in front of the Malfoy Manor. It was different from what she had remembered it but that could also have been the reasons why she was here last was because she had been captured. Instead of the grey walls she was remembered, they were white. The yard around the house were filled with different colors from the flowers. The house was perfect in her opinion. She noticed the large pond near the edge of the woods and ducks and other birds chirping.

"My mum always enjoyed having gardens." said Draco as they began to walk through the gates to his Manor.

"I can see that." said Hermione glancing around trying to catch everything at once. "Your home is beautiful."

"Thank you.. Ready to meet my mother?" he asked as they arrived at the door. She gulped. She hadn't joked when she told Draco once that his mother was intimidating. "It's okay, she'll be nice." he said, to reassure her. "I promise."

"Does she know it's me though?"

"I would hope so." he opened the door, reveling something Hermione didn't imagine to see at once. In front of her were grand stairs that split into two, It was white and well polished. A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling giving the room all the light it held. Portraits of people from different centuries up till their current one hung around the walls. The room they both were standing in currently split from one side to another. As Hermione glanced, one looked like a large dinning room and the other looked like part of a library.

"Mum?" said Draco as he shut the front door. His voice echoed around the walls and Hermione could hear a faint clicking noise.

"Draco!" said the lady who ran into the room. Her sleek blonde hair fell down her back and she looked tired. "My dear boy, how are you?" she asked, still holding onto him.

"I'm fine, mum. How are you?"

"I'm doing the best that I can." she said quietly, as she let go of him. She looked at Hermione. "I know exactly who you are now." Hermione wanted to run away afraid of what the woman would say next, until Narcissa finally spoke. "It's such a pleasure to finally meet you, dear. I've heard plenty about you. Thank you for keeping my son in line." she said with a slight hesitation she kissed Hermione lightly on the cheek.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy." said Hermione kindly.

"Please call me, Narcissa." Hermione nodded. "You two must be starving. Dinner should be ready soon. Why don't you two go ahead up to your rooms?" she kissed Draco on the cheek once more before exiting the room.

"See, what did I tell you! Nothing at to worry about. Follow me." they picked up their belongings and walked up the grand stairs. Hermione knew if she was to walk the halls by herself she would be lost. They took countless turns before they came to the end of a hallway to two large brown doors across from one another. The door to the left, had a large _D _imprinted on it.

"This is my bedroom," he said as he pointed to the door on the left. "That is where you will stay." he pointed to the door on the right. He opened the door for her. "You can go ahead and unpack. Come to my room when you're done." he walked into his room and left the door half cracked as she entered her room for the week.

It was beautiful. Her bed was the one thing her eyes fell on immediately. It had to of been a king size bed. There were over four pillows that were on it. The bed covers were white and an outline went around that was a jade green. Instead of the golden chandelier that was hanging in the main room, there was one that hung in the bedroom that was silver. She cracked a smile, Malfoy's had such an obsession with green and black. Another thing that caught her eye was the overly large window. The only window that was in the room, it opened to where you could walk out onto a balcony and she was where the pond was. In front she could see the large pond, and behind that the small Quidditch pitch that she assumed Draco practiced at over his breaks when not at Hogwarts.

Hermione unpacked her belongings and put them in the dresser that was in front of the room. When she finished she sat on the large, comfortable bed. Not knowing if it were too soon to walk over to Draco's bedroom yet, she decided it would be a perfect time to write to Ginny to tell her how things were.

_Ginny,_

_Well I'm here at the Malfoy Manor. If I had of known I would have been here this time last year, _

_I would have probably slapped myself in the face. Ha ha. Well, I'll begin with the manor is beautiful. _

_I met Draco's mum as soon as I got here too. I almost started hyperventilating but so far she _

_has been very approving toward me. She's so polite and nice, I like her! I was so afraid to meeting _

_her since of the past encounters. I can tell she still is upset about Draco's father too. I guess _

_in time she'll get over the pain. You should see my room I have here too. It's incredible! I feel _

_like I'm in a castle! Tell Harry and Ron I said hello. If I don't hear from you, I'll see you in a week._

_Lots of Love, _

_Hermione _

Hermione then changed into the blue sun dress that Draco had bought her. Walking over to his room, his door was still cracked open, waiting for her to come in. She peeked through and saw that he was pacing up and down his room reading a book and muttering to himself. She opened the door more and it made a loud creak.

"Oh, about time! I didn't want to come over and intrude." he smiled at her when she walked completely in. "I knew you would look lovely in that dress."

She blushed. "Why thank you!"

"Are you hungry? I reckon dinner is ready now." she nodded, following him out of his room. They walked hall from hall till the reached the grand stairs. The walked into the large dinner room, seeing Narcissa already sitting at the table. With food already placed around her waiting to be ate.

"I was just about to get the house elf to fetch the pair of you." she said, beaming at them both. Draco sat at his mothers right as Hermione took the left. "Hermione dear, I love the dress you are wearing. Where did you get it?"

"Actually Draco bought it for me."

He shrugged, pretending it wasn't a big deal. "I got it from a shop in Hogsmeade."

"Very thoughtful of you."

The remainder of their dinner they ate in silence. Every once in awhile Draco and Hermione catching each others gaze. They would quickly look away, their attention back onto the food they still had left on their plate. Hermione frequently kept her attention on Narcissa; who sat there, picking at her food a lot. Hermione could see straight through the act she was attempting to play and see the sadness filled in her eyes. She had hoped for Draco's sake, that his mother would had improved since the Kiss had been performed on her husband.

"Have you shown Hermione the library yet, Draco?" asked Narcissa when she noticed Hermione and Draco were just about finished with their plate.

"No, not yet." he answered, taking a sip out of his goblet.

"He tells me you enjoy reading-"

"Almost too much." he muttered.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and Narcissa glanced at her son before continuing. "I assure that you will enjoy our library. It's as big as Hogwarts library, if not bigger." Hermione's eyes widen with surprised, excitement built into them.

"Relax. I'll show you the library now." Hermione jumped up.

"Thanks for the wonderful meal, Narcissa." said Hermione as Draco stood up as well.

"Not a problem." she said quietly. "Hermione?" she said when the two teenagers had began to walk out of the room. Hermione walked back closer to her, before she began to speak again. "I truly am glad that you are here. You are the only person who has made my son as happy as he is now. I only want to thank you." Hermione didn't know what to say and she smiled at Narcissa.

"I'll always be here, I promised him. Narcissa, If there is anything I can ever do for you.. Please let me know."

"You are a remarkable witch for your age, thank you." she said, and Hermione took that as her cue to be dismissed. Draco didn't say anything as he waited for her at the door. She followed him to the room across from the dinning room into the large library.

Narcissa had said an understatement when she had reported that their library may had been larger then Hogwarts library. She could have taken two of her school's library and it still wouldn't have equaled to how large the room she was standing in now. She almost did a spinning dance around the room. Glancing at the books she could tell some of them were probably in delicate condition and as soon of them were brand new.

"These books have come a far way." said Draco as he watched the dazed Hermione. "Some of them belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself. I spend a lot of my free time in here, trying to read as much as I can. I knew you would enjoy this too."

"This is incredible."

"I know!" he chuckled. "Go ahead and read if you want. It's too late to go out and do anything." she began to look around, looking for something that may have put off a high interest to her.

"Oh, Hermione?"

"mhm?"

"Tomorrow you're going to learn how to fly."

She stopped walking and looked at him. She was afraid of flying and he stood there grinning at her.

* * *

**Paha! **


	23. Surprise Visit

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.  
**_

_**Those of you wanting music, I have come across this wonderful song that is on the sountrack of Romeo and Juliet. It's by Desree and it's called Kissing you. CHECK IT OUT! I'm currently obsessed with it. I love the piano. **_

**jenniluz, you asked how long this story was going to be.. I really have no idea. I suppose until I get sick of writing it or can't seem to find anything else to write to it.. I've already come up with another story line.. So I may take time off this one to begin that one.. But who knows, seeing as I have all the free time I need basically I could probably balance out both of them.**

* * *

**Chapter twenty-three: Surprise visit.  
**

The following morning. Hermione woke up and stretched out her arms and legs. She stared at the ceiling, afraid that as soon as she got out of bed and prepared her for the day to come she would only regret it. So she decided not to move, hoping that Draco would forget about her and continue a day without her.

She hated flying. It wasn't that she never took the advantage to learn to do it; She was perfectly capable flying, but she always felt as if there would be something terrible happen to her in the end from it. Harry and Ron always tried to get her to fly with them, when they wanted to just do laps together and she had always refused. Which then they tormented her for it. Still she couldn't bring herself to wanting to go flying, even if it were with Draco. She knew he was going to laugh at her, at least once. Because she never could get up in the air, and if she was having a lucky moment, the landing was what next got her.

She heard the door open and a shadow on the wall that showed someone was entering her room. Then a small chuckle before the smooth voice began to speak.

"Hermione Granger. Wake up this instant!" he said as he walked closer to her. "We have beautiful weather right now! Come on!"

Hermione turned around so her back was facing him and pretending to stay asleep. Draco smirked, as he saw the small smile she had on her face.

"Come on, or I'll carry you out and throw you in the pond!" he said, as he started tickling her. She screamed in surprise and he only continued. "Are you awake?!" she started laughing hysterically.

"Yes, yes!"

he let go of her before he kissed her lightly. "Are you hungry?"

"No, not really."

"Perfect! Get dressed!" he left the room and she groaned. stretching one last time she stood out of bed, her wild hair flying in front of her face. She dressed as slowly as she could, finding her favorite pair of blue jeans and a blue jumper that her mum had bought her last reminded her that she needed to write to her parents.

A knock came at her door. "Draco, hold on!" she said in frustration. she opened the door, Draco was leaning against the wall waiting for her. A sneer look on written on his face. "You really must want to kill me."

"Why would you think that?"

"I don't fly!"

"Of all the things you have done so far in your life time, you are afraid of flying? Oh please." Hermione rolled her eyes, taking his hand as she walked behind him. They walked around the house outside, until they came to the Quidditch pitch. He walked into the broom shed he had near the pitch, and came out with his Nimbus 2001 that his father had bought him when they were at their second year in Hogwarts.

"I'm not flying alone."

"I know that, we're going to fly together. But you will steer."

"I'm going to kill both of us!"

she threw her hands in her face. She really didn't want to get on the broom and she didn't know why he was attempting to force her. With a short budge to herself, she grabbed the broom from Draco.

"You aren't going to kill anyone. I'll be right there with you. It's not as difficult once you get comfortable being in the air. Mount your broom." Hermione stared at him for a moment, before doing what she was told. "Good, now when you are ready you need to kick off the ground as hard as you can to come up."

She wasn't listening and looked up to him under her dark eyelashes. "I'm not going up alone." she said quietly.

He sighed and walked up behind and mounted on the broom with her. He wrapped one of his arms around her body and his other went in front of Hermione on the handle. This was one of the most difficult tasks he had ever had to do.

"Place both of your hands on top of mine." he said in her ear. "Now, before we take off, you need to take a deep breath. I'm right here with you. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you." she took a deep breath and released it. "Now, when you are ready I need you to kick off the ground hard, keep your hands steady on the broom." with one last deep breath, Hermione as hard as her legs could manage, with instinct Draco pulled the broom handle up and Hermione followed cue with him.

He then let go of the broom handle, pulling his hand away from her death grip. "You are in control now."

"Draco, I don't know what I'm doing!"

"Relax! You should know well enough to steer. When you want to slow down pull the handle up closer to you. When you feel the need that you want to go faster you basically dive. Put yourself closer into the broom." Hermione kept herself steady as she could, with Draco's arms wrapped around her tiny waist. "Hermione, you need to go faster then this. We're hardly going anywhere."

She frowned at him, wanting to smack him in the face.

"Watch for the trees, miss." he said. She could feel the smirk burning through her that he was probably giving her. With a quick smile at him, she leaning forward into the broom, increasing the speed. His grip immediately tightened around her waist.

For once, Hermione enjoyed being up in the air. She felt free. Nothing was too bother her up here and she could see why Harry and always loved to fly as much as he did. The cold breeze hitting her face didn't even bother her. She was having too much fun to care about freezing. Draco hid his face in her back as her hair kept flying and hitting him in the face. Hermione giggled, had forgotten to pull her hair back so that didn't happen.

"Having fun?" he asked whispering in her ear. She nodded, and she began to laugh. Harry and Ron would never believe what she was doing at this moment. But one day, she would prove to them, that she wasn't afraid and she would challenge them. The fact they had always teased her was because they had finally realized that they were better at something compared to her. Now she sat on a broom, completely in control.

"I don't know how to land!" she finally said, after they had flew around the Quidditch pitch and into a clear path that went through the Malfoy's woods.

"It's very simple. But take caution since it's your first time.. You just need to dive yourself toward the ground. Pull the broom handle down. Don't put your entire body forward or we will crash into the ground."

She did so, and slower then she had planned, they reached the ground. Draco immediately jumped off landing onto the grass.

"I can see why you thought it was so frightening. It isn't as fun when you are the one that isn't in control of the broom." he muttered. "Do you want to go flying together? I have another broom." she nodded. Wanting nothing more but to be up in the air again. He disappeared going through his broom shed, coming out with a broom that she recalled Harry having. Another firebolt! At least she knew some of the names to brooms. She would learn eventually.

With not as much thought as she had put into her first time pushing off the ground, Hermione lifted easily off into the sky, following Draco around the pitch. She continued chasing after him as he was still faster then she was. But when he was started to feel guilty, she caught him off guard and nearly knocked him off his broom. She laughed at him for nearly five minutes. Mimicking the face he had just made.

* * *

Every afternoon and evening, Hermione and Draco met with Narcissa to have lunch and dinner with her. As the week had progressed, she had opened up more to Hermione. Which Hermione was beginning to love the woman as she was such a charming person. Hermione had never expected her to have thought that, seeing as how she had been in the past. When Hermione came she had thought Narcissa to be someone who followed to be perfect, cruel and cold even. But she was the complete opposite.

Hermione had came to the conclusion, since Draco had explained the reason why he acted how he did in the past was because of his father; perhaps that would explain Narcissa too. She after all was his wife so she had to be a follower of him. Since Lucius Malfoy was no longer around, nothing stopped them from having a civilized conversation with a muggle-born.

Now Hermione was in the at her last full day at the Malfoy Manor. Amazingly, she had been having such a fantastic time spending every second she had with Draco, but she was also very excited to see her friends again. In the afternoon, she was going to the Burrow where the Weasley's and Harry waited for her. She couldn't wait to rub in Harry and Ron's face what she did the second day here. The prove to them that she was a good enough flying on a broom.

After having an early dinner with Narcissa, Hermione and Draco went to his room and sat on his bed. She could clearly see that he was upset and she knew it was because she was leaving tomorrow. He pushed her brown curly hair out of her face, revealing her pale face.

"You should pin your hair up more often. You always hide that pretty face." he said, winking at her.

"You are utterly ridiculous." she said as she reached over to him to kiss him. He pushed her down onto the bed, smiling big as he did so. She blushed, as he traced her jaw line with his thumb.

"_You_ are utterly ridiculous." he said, mocking her. He began to kiss her, when he heard a faint knock on his door. He quickly jumped up, off Hermione and sat near the foot of his bed just as Narcissa walked through the door. She looked completely frantic.

"Draco! Bellatrix!" she said with a gasp.

"What are you talking about?" asked Draco, confused as he jumped out of his bed.

"You need to hide her." she said pointing to Hermione. "Bellatrix... She's here! Hide her! NOW!" she ran out of the room. Draco turned to Hermione, panic was clearly written on his face.

* * *

**BAH! **


	24. A Possible Beginning

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

_**Boring chapter... I'm having such writers block.. I can't seem to think of anything right now. I have so much on my mind. I want Draco to have a full explanation for Bellatrix and to what more she said to Narcissa and her.. BUT i dont know what yet..  
**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four: A Possible Beginning.  
**

Hermione couldn't move from off Draco's bed. Draco stood in front of her, trying to think of something that he could do to hide Hermione quickly. He brushed his hair out of his face with his hand, while thinking. They were running out of time; they knew somewhere in the house already, Bellatrix was there.

"Hermione, you know how to do the Disillusionment charm don't you?" he asked, with an urgency in his voice. He grabbed her by the upper arm to pull her up from the bed. "Come on, Hermione. Speak!"

"Yes, I know how!" she blurted out, trying to loosen his grip. She pulled out her wand that had been in her left pocket, and tapped it over her head. No sooner then she had done so, Narcissa walked into the bedroom, looking as more worried then ever.

"She wants to see you, Draco." the woman said quietly, trying to keep a steady voice to show no suspicion. She glanced around the room to notice Hermione was no where to be seen. After a moment later, Bellatrix walked in, her face more gaunt and skull-like, then he had ever seen her before.

"Well," said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "You've grown more from the last I saw you." and with the hint in her eyes, he knew she was remembering when he backed away from her Lord and went to the light.

"What is this about, Bellatrix? I have events to attend too." said Draco rather quick. Hermione knew she wasn't visible to Bellatrix, but remained very still. The longer Hermione stayed in the room with her, the more she began to feel sick. "You shouldn't be here. They are still looking for you everywhere. You can get caught!"

"I've come for revenge!" she spat. "I've come to warn you, Cissy. I have yet to be caught and I will gain revenge for that Potter boy to have done what he done."she began to pace the room, with an excited grin on her face.

"Bellatrix, this is not the time or place to speak of this." she said with a glance to Draco. "You know what happened near the end of the the war. We don't want anything to do with this any longer!" said Narcissa flabbergasted. "This entire war is the reason why I don't have a husband anymore! You will not bring my family down any more then what it has fallen too!"

Bellatrix glanced around the room. "I'm ashamed to hear this.. I do have a plan. The Dark Lord wanted me to do this! I have to do this for him!"

Hermione couldn't take the voice of the twisted woman any longer.

"My room. When you can." Hermione had managed to whisper in Draco's ear. He glanced around wondering where she was now. Bellatrix and Narcissa had taken no noticed as they continued to bicker at one another. When Narcissa had entered only minutes before with Bellatrix, she left the door half opened which Hermione managed to sneak through as quickly and quietly as she could. She went straight to her room that she had been staying at.

Sitting on the bed she thought to what she could do. She had a feeling that Bellatrix had no intentions to leaving any time soon. Coming up with a last minute plan, she kept the Disillusionment charm on her just to be on a save side, and began to pack her bags. She then pulled out parchment and a quill and scribbled a quick goodbye to Draco.

_Draco, _

_I've come to the conclusion, me leaving at the moment is probably the best to do. I don't find myself  
_

_save with knowing she's here. I hope you understand. I don't mean to be some sort of burden. Please  
_

_let me know as soon as she leaves so I know everything is alright and what exactly happened. I'm going_

_ to go ahead to where I was supposed to be leaving for till tomorrow. I also hope her being here will not cause  
_

_any future planning to occur.. I love you Draco._

_-HG_

Placing the note on her bed, somewhere she knew surely Draco would find it. She took one last glance at her room, before fleeing the Malfoy Manor. She didn't stop running until she reached the outdoors or to take a glance back behind her. She walked to the beginning of the trail to the front gate before she took the charm off herself and popped out of thin air and arrived right before the Weasley's trail to arrive at The Burrow.

She picked up her belongings rather quickly, walking as fast as she could to The Burrow. She most have looked insane with her bags flying which ever way as she rushed through the grass and her king brown hair flying frantically behind her. The first thing she saw was the kitchen light, beaming through the window. She didn't bother to knock, as the thrill of seeing her best friends awaiting for her. Then without hesitation, she burst through the backdoor that led straight to the kitchen. At once everyone looked at her in alarm, she knew it was written on her face that something wrong at happened. Her trying to hide her emotions was a task that she never could never seem to manage. She wore her heart on her sleeve.

"Hermione!" they all seemed to spit out as they stared at her, with confusion. She looked at the long kitchen table, nearly everyone was there. Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, the entire Weasley family excluding Percy and Harry. Hermione stopped as she dropped her bags and began to breathe heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

"What happened?!" asked Harry at once, when she didn't say anything. Mrs. Weasley jumped out of her chair, nearly knocking her chair down and she rushed over to Hermione.

"Hermione dear, what happened?" she asked in a hush voice as she grabbed her into a hug.

"Bellatrix came to the Malfoy Manor." she gasped out and then she heard the utensils drop onto the plates.

"We've been searching for her because-"began Lupin but was soon cut off by Harry.

"We thought she was dead!"

"What happened?" asked Lupin as he stood up and went to Hermione.

"I think we should take this conversation to the other room." said Mrs. Weasley, as she shut the back door. They all nodded in agreement. Ginny, Harry and Ron rushed over to Hermione as soon as the crowd began to move to the next room and hugged her tightly.

"Are you alright?" but she wasn't able to answer as they all continued to ask questions.

"What happened?"

"Is she planning to do something?"

"How did you get away from her?"

"If you would so please, Hermione could explain all of this in the next room." said Mrs. Weasley who came up from behind them. They all followed and sat around as Hermione, who stood in front of the crowd.

"Hermione, please go on." said Remus Lupin who was sitting closest to her. His scars on his face had darkened, just as Hermione had remembered several nights ago was the full moon for the month. She sighed, before she began her story.

"Draco and I were in his bedroom talking and discussing things before Narcissa came barging into the room and yelled to Draco that he needed to hide me because Bellatrix was lurking about. Then she rushed out of his room. The quickest thing Draco could come up with was for me to cast disillusionment charm on myself. By the time I manged to do so Narcissa came back in with Bellatrix trailing behind her. She looks awful too and she's seeking out for revenge."

"What exactly did she say, Hermione?" asked Ron, who had remained silent, nearly the entire time.

"Draco asked what she wanted, putting out that she wasn't exactly welcomed there. Then she told him that she had come for revenge. She was sending a warning out to the two of them and that since she was yet to be caught she was going to gain revenge against Harry." Harry rolled his eyes, he should have known that the mental woman wouldn't have rest. "Narcissa tried to be reasonable with Bellatrix. But she kept saying that The Dark Lord wanted her to do this and she would have too."

"What sort of plan? Did anything else happen?" asked both Mr. Weasley and Tonks together.

"Narcissa told her that it wasn't the time or place to speak of the subject. Said she knew what happened at the end of the war and how she didn't want anything to do involving with what she wanted to do. Plus how the war was the reason why she didn't have her husband any longer. I left the room then because I was afraid she would somehow manage and see me. I sneaked out, packed my bags and immediately rushed here. I left Draco a note asking him to please explain things to me as soon as he could."

"Do you really think she will try and start another war?" asked Harry, looking straight at Lupin. "We lost so many innocent lives and I know Bellatrix isn't the only Death Eater out there."

"She may try to bring out the Death Eaters in again and try to plot something. To what, I'm uncertain. No matter what, I'm sure she would be outnumbered." admitted Lupin.

"Well, what are we to do?" asked Mrs. Weasley when none of the others spoke.

* * *


	25. Gone

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Gone  
**

No one had any idea of what to do, seeing as just because before Hermione had barged into the kitchen door; the had all believed the had no war in the future to face. But they were wrong. They all knew very well that Bellatrix Lestrange was a twisted soul and would do anything she could to have revenge.

Hermione was worried, Draco and Narcissa were still most likely with Bellatrix. She know she told Draco to contact her as soon as she had the chance, but being worried was something Hermione didn't work well with.

It was now the next morning and Hermione hadn't slept well. Most of the night, what was left at the Order who was at the Burrow for dinner stayed in talks to discuss what they could do to prevent Bellatrix from doing anything that she had planned to do. Hermione couldn't imagine what would happen when Bellatrix would see the Order. She would have to know that Draco had said something because a sister would never turn her in. She was worried.

"Hermione, what's the matter?" asked Ginny, when she found Hermione sitting at the window at the stairs. She had been sitting there most of the morning, staring at the sky in thought.

"What? Oh, nothing Ginny. Just thinking." she admitted quietly. She couldn't figure out why Draco hadn't been in contact yet. Something had to be wrong.

"About Malfoy?" Hermione nodded. "I'm sure he is fine, Hermione. He is a tough person. He can handle it."

"I know that, Ginny. What if Bellatrix… forcing something out of him? What if she finds out I was there? Or worse! Since I let the Order know what she was planning, she'll known someone turned her in. She immediately know it was Draco or suspect something else."

"You're over thinking things, Hermione."

"No, Ginny. I just have a feeling that something is the wrong or something bad is going to happen."

"Everything will okay. I know it will. Besides we're all here for Malfoy and you."

Hermione smiled. "Lets go get some breakfast." she said happily, trying to enjoy the dreadful thoughts in her mind.

She stood up from her spot and the two girls walked to the kitchen to join the rest of the crew at the table to eat breakfast. She sat beside Harry and Ginny joined her on other side.  
_Hermione_ was enjoying a piece of toast and a cold glass of milk when an owl came through the window and landed in front of Hermione. She froze, seeing he scribbled Hermione on the front of the letter.

_Hermione,  
Trouble is a head. She knows about us, Hermione. She knows..  
I don't know what is going to happen, but you need to try to  
Stay save. I love you. I hope I'll see you one day soon.  
-Draco_

Hermione looked up to the wondering eyes and she fled out of the house. By the time she ended her run, she was the at the beginning trail to the Weasley's Quidditch pitch. Harry had followed her out, knowing what was probably the matter with her.

"Hermione! Stop!" he yelled catching up to her. Harry grabbed her by the arm, catching her from falling.

"Harry, we have to help him! She doesn't care about anyone but Voldemort. She'll kill him!"

"Hermione, think about this though. It could be a trap. She could use you to come save him knowing that I'll be with you."

"Harry, I'm sorry but I have to help him."

"HERMIONE!" but she was gone. Apparating right in front of him, she was now standing in front of the Malfoy Manor. It was completely silent and not even the ducks she had remembered seeing every morning during her stay where anywhere about. She knew some where Bellatrix had to be lurking about.

Hermione rushed down the trail to the entrance of the Manor, running to the front door. Not even bothering to knock on it. As she entered, she heard nothing. Glancing around in the beginning of the library and the large dinning room, she saw no one around. Hermione was being to panic. It was only a matter of time before Harry or the entire order came to the Malfoy Manor.

After a few days she had gotten the hang of all the hallways and knew how to get to Malfoy and the room she stayed at. She didn't have time for politeness, she opened the door rather quickly to find Draco sitting across from the door at his desk. His back was turned to her and he had been writing. But when she opened the door his body froze.

"Bellatrix! I'm not dealing with this any longer! LEAVE-" he had turned around with his wand at the ready, but he stopped speaking when he saw Hermione. "Herm- Are you mad?! What are you doing here!" he said, as he lowered his wand. But Hermione only rushed to him and pulled him into a hug.

"I thought she did something horrible to you. I got your letter when I was eating breakfast! What has she done to you?" she finally took a good look at him. He had a gash across his cheek and he looked like he hadn't slept at all the previous night.

"What letter? What are you talking about?"

"This letter?" she pulled out the letter that was still in her robes. "I got it this morning.."  
Draco snapped the letter to look at it. Shock was written on his face.

"I didn't-"

"Well, well, well." said a voice behind the two of them. Hermione looked over her shoulder. Bellatrix was standing in the doorway and she looked rather pleased to see Hermione. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came rushing to Draco's aide."

"How did you do this?" spat Draco, at his aunt. Everything at once hit her. She should have known from the letter it was a set up. The obvious signs were that Draco never signed his letters with _Draco_ but always _DM_.

"I was informed about the two of you, by a dear boy in Slytherin. He spoke about this to his father and he then informed me. I knew this mud blood would come to your aide if she thought you were in danger. Which would surely bring me to Potter!" she creaked a smile before laughing lightly. Hermione cringed and Draco pulled her closer.

"Don't you dare touch her, Bellatrix."

"Ohhhh what is my dear little nephew going to do?!" she laughed. "Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand was thrown across the room. "Transmogrifian!" Draco was suddenly thrown across the room and fell down against the wall. Hermione stood shocked, before attempting to rush over to Draco.

"Where do you think you're going?!" shrieked Bellatrix.

"DRACO!" yelled Hermione, as her brown curls were pulled back. Bellatrix had rushed behind her and pulled her back by the hair.

"Come along, mud blood! I don't have all day!" Hermione began to scream as she was pulled down the hallway under her free will away from Draco. Her screamed seemed to fill the entire house as it echoed against the halls. Hermione had dropped her wand when Bellatrix had pulled her and she didn't know what to do. In no way possible Hermione knew she would be able to escape from her with a punch.

"NARCISSA. DRACO!" Bellatrix laughed again.

"I'm sure why my dear nephew is sleeping on his floor. Along with my traitor of a sister! As she is doing the same thing on her floor!"

"How could you?! You're so cruel! You're going to pay for this!"

"I'm sure not! They betray the Dark Lord, they shall deserve the coincidence." she threw Hermione on the floor. They were in the Ball room of the Manor. Completely open space. Hermione knew what was coming next. She didn't even bother to stand.

"DRACO! No, please! You can't do this!" she begged. She was going to die.

"CRUCIO!" she said with a laughter built up on her voice.

Hermione felt the pain at once. It was worse then the first time Bellatrix had yelled the curse on her before Voldemort had been killed. She began to scream in agony and roll on the floor with pain growing on every inch of her body.

Then it came to her, with every flash back of the most exciting days that she could remember. When she received her Hogwarts letter, the night Ron and Harry saved her from the troll, when Harry defeated Voldemort. The morning Ron got Carmen as his girlfriend and Draco was the one that had came after her, and the best one was when she had went after him to find him at the Tower and he kissed her and told her he loved her for the first time. She knew she was inches from death.

Hermione's thoughts suddenly stopped when she realized the pain wasn't as unbearable as it had been. She knew she was dead. Bellatrix wouldn't have stopped for anything; Hermione could still hear her cruel laugh as she had sent the curse at her. But when Hermione rolled back over, she could see Bellatrix trying to find a way to escape as Harry and some of the Order had entered the room.

The only person Hermione was trying to focus her eyes on, was for Draco. But he was no where to be found in the small crowd. She could see Harry rushing to her side, Bellatrix trying to fight her way out, and Harry speaking to her but she couldn't hear a word he was saying. She could barely move her body from still being in pain.

"Hermione." she heard Draco's voice from the back of her mind. "I love you." she looked around, but he was no where to be seen.

"Harry…Harry… Where is he? Where is my Draco?" Harry shook his head. She saw Lupin appear in the room, with a dread look on his face.

"Harry!" he shouted across the room.

"DRACO." she began to yell again, she needed him with her. She began crying, something was terribly wrong.

"Hermione. Stop." Harry had come back to her side. "He's gone, Hermione."

That was the last thing Hermione had heard, she had tried to raise up from where she had been sprawled across the floor. She fell, hitting her head against the hard floor and fainted.

* * *


	26. A Rocky Return

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

_** I am trying to end this story in the next chapter or so. Hopefully I can manage to do so! There are two other Harry Potter stories I have come to mind that I really would like to write. One being another Draco/Hermione. Another, which may be a WHAT?! (drum roll) Hermione and Tom Riddle. **_

_**The reason in doing so, is I started reading one of those two and I have become in love with the two characters together. Of course when Hermione goes back in time, etc. You know? I don't know if I will write the story or not seeing as I have no idea how I could.. But. I am considering it. Even though I feel like it's going to be a very difficult task to do so. **_

_**So on to my story! Thank you for all of the reviews. I can't believe I have so many. I wouldn't have thought people would enjoy my story actually. I've just been doing it for fun and to attempt becoming a better writer. **_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six: A Rocky Return  
**

Hermione could feel the warm light hitting her face. She slowly opened her eyes, the heaviness pulling them down. Moving very slowly, her eyes opened and she was laying in a warm bed. Everything was white, and she had no idea where she could be at. The last thing she remember was the Malfoy Manor. She felt the tears coming from her eyes and streaming down her face.

"No... Draco." she rolled over closing her eyes as she continued to cry. Her true love and she had no idea where he was or what happened to him. She felt completely empty and not knowing what to do with herself.

"Hermione?" said a voice from behind her. She didn't roll over, the voice wasn't the one she wanted to hear. "'Mione, are you awake?" she moved her head slightly over to see Harry walking over to her. "Hermione, don't cry."

She looked up at him, she felt broken. For everything that happened when she was last awake she was blaming herself. Everything that happened to Narcissa, Draco and her was her own fault. If she had of listened to Harry when he said it could have been a trap that Bellatrix had set up, she didn't know why she couldn't have listened to him. She probably wouldn't be in the bed that she was in, if it wasn't for her own horrible discussions.

"Hermione, everything is going to alright. Bellatrix has been taking away." he pulled out the _Daily Prophet. _"See?" he pointed to the headlines.

**AFTER BRUTAL ATTACK AGAINST TWO TEENAGERS AND ADULT.**

**BELLATRIX FINALLY CAPTURED. DEMENTOR KISS, IN HER FUTURE.**

_Bellatrix Lestrange, sister of Narcissa Malfoy and aunt of Draco Malfoy_

_was found at the Malfoy Manor torturing muggle-born, Hermione Granger._

_Who is known as one of Harry Potter's best , who had been in _

_the manor to save the young Malfoy, was found by Lestrange, who began to brutally _

_attacking. No word is known for the condition of the two teenagers, the mother is in healthy_

_condition, still in care at St. Mungo's. Malfoy who was - _

Hermione stopped reading as the lump in her throat grew. She began to cry once more; harder then she had been. She realized she was obviously at St. Mungo's. She remembered being on the Ball Room floor and when the order rushed in, saving her in the nick of time.

"Hermione listen to me, she's gone now. Nothing wrong is ever going to happen again. The is not going to be a beginning of a war again. It's really over now." Harry began trying to reason with her.

"No. No! He's gone!" she shouted at him. "GET OUT! I don't want to talk to you! GET OUT!"

"Hermione, what are you talking about?! Malfoy-" he stood up. Hermione threw the Daily Prophet at him.

"I said get out!!" she picked up the closest object at him and threw it. He quickly rushed out of the room, not wanting to be hit. She could hear the whispers outsider her door. Harry was whispering to Ron and Ginny. She let out a tiny sob and slowly fell back asleep again.

* * *

_"How long has she been sleeping?" she heard the voice so clearly around her, but Hermione seemed to not be able to open her eyes. _

_"After we got her out of the manor she was here for about five days before waking up. She thinks you're dead.. After she woke up the first time she passed out, it's been another four days."Hermione was confused. Who where they talking too?  
_

_"What? How can you sleep that long?" she heard movement. "Everyone out. Now!" the movement continued as she heard the door to her room open and close quickly. A pressure came from the end of her bed as if someone sat on it. She tried to open her eyes again. _

_"Hermione?" said the voice she had been hoping to return to her. "You need to wake up. Right now. Everything is actually okay. My mother is back home now. Bellatrix received the kiss yesterday morning. We don't have anything to ever worry about anymore. " he let out a heavy sigh. Leaning down on the bed, she felt pressure on both of her sides. Hot breath came close to her face and she smelled his wonderful sent. Ever so lightly, soft delicate lips pressed against hers. _

"Draco?" she muttered when the lips pulled away. "Am I dead?" she asked more to herself, trying to find him in the room. Her eye sight was still foggy from just pulling out of a dream. But nothing was said back to her. She was in the hospital bed. She sighed. He wasn't there. She tried to roll over to her side to look out the window but a body stopped her. She began to yell.

Draco was laying beside her on the hospital bed, he glanced up at her shocked.

"What?! Why are you yelling?!" he asked raising up to take her into his arms. "What is this question, _Am I dead_? You've been at St. Mungo's for about two weeks now." she crawled into his chest, holding on to him as tightly as she possibly could.

"I thought you were dead." she sobbed out, and he pulled her up into his lap. Harry, followed by Mrs. Weasley and Ron rushed into the room from the yelling Hermione had sent out. As they saw Draco sitting in the bed with her, they stopped. Slowly pulling away out of the room. Leaving the door creaked opened, they all sat there eagerly, waiting to hear what was said. "Please don't leave me... Please."

"I'll never leave you, Hermione." he kissed her on the forehead. "Remember? I get to keep you. Always and forever." she let out a sob that sounded like a laugh and he smiled at her. "We did it."

She looked up to him, her hand trailing down his jaw line. "I love you, Draco Malfoy."

"I love you too, Hermione Granger."

* * *

**I'm sorry this is short. I didn't want you to wait. Most of you flipped out when you thought I killed Draco off.. I really need to sleep now. Like gain my energy back. My writing has been awful. GOODNIGHT to you all. **


	27. All eternity

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

**Did anyone else have issues with getting onto fanfiction yesterday? It wouldn't work for me at all. Which is to explain why it took me longer to update. **

**Enjoy.  
**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: All eternity  
**

Hermione was standing in the middle of the Great Hall, alone. She was taking in what had been part of her home for the last seven years. Where she spent every morning, afternoon and night at eating with her friends. All of the good laughs that had come from it, rushing into mind. In a mere few weeks she would be saying goodbye to Hogwarts. Entering the world to find a job and educate herself more and possibly marrying and having children.

But Hermione desperately didn't want to say goodbye to her home. If it hadn't of been for Hogwarts she wouldn't have faced everything she had already; have the friends she did now. Even her loving boyfriend, Draco. She smiled as she took one last look, as she saw her tall, blonde boy walk through the doors.

"There you are." he said, quietly as he walked up to her. He was dressed in his best suit. Which made her curious. He took her in and hugged her tightly, as if he was afraid she was about to be taken away.

"What's the matter?" asked Hermione, cautiously.

"Nothing at all. You know that I love you?" she shook her head with confusion. He put his hands on her face and cupped her cheeks in his palms. "I have never loved someone... Or anything in the matter as much as I love you, Hermione. I don't know what I would do without you." she was now completely lost. Not having any idea with his need for him to say everything he currently was.

"I know, Draco. Are you alright? You're acting a bit funny." he nodded his head, a smile creeping on his face.

"Well I need to ask you a question."

"Okay, what is it?" he grabbed her hand and made her sit on the bench at the Gryffindor's long table. He then knelled down beside her. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice was unsteady. Surely he wasn't about to ask what she was thinking.

"Hermione Jean Granger, " he took her hand once again in his hand. "Will you spend eternity with me? Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice filled with admiration, love and a suddeny urge she had never heard him speak with before.

"What?" she asked, in a daze. He didn't say anything. "Are you sure? You really want that?"

He nodded. "I want nothing more then this. I want you to be my wife. The person who will always be there with me. The one I have children with and even grow old with!" she giggled. The tears forming in her eyes.

"Okay." she nodded in excitement. "Yes... Yes!" he pulled out a ring box from the pocket of his jacket. He opened it and took her hand to slide the ring on her ring finger. She stared at it in awe; it was beautiful. With a silver brand, it had diamond rings with sapphire between each diamond. She couldn't stop the smile from coming on her face. "Sapphire. That's my birthstone."

"I know. I figured you would love the extra thought I put into it."

"Draco, I love it. Thank you." he pulled her up with him, as he raised up from his knelling position. "I love you." he began to kiss her passionately on this lips, ignoring the sudden incomers that walked in the Great Hall. They walked up to them silently before they coughed to show they were standing there. Hermione and Draco broke apart, staring at Harry, Ginny and Ron.

"Gross." Ginny said, smiling.

"Guess what?" said Hermione, looking at the others. They all smiled, knowing already for the reasoning she was so happy.

"What?" they all three said together.

"I'm engaged!"she said happily.

"We know! Let me see the ring!" said Ginny happily, Hermione almost ran to Ginny. Showing off her new ring.

"Wait, you knew?" she asked suddenly, with Ginny's words ringing in her ears.

"Yes. He came and asked us first before he found you." said Ron. "Congratulations, Hermione." he said, happy to see that she was so happy.

"I want you to be my bride's maid, Ginny!" Ginny squealed in excitement. The three boys stealing glancing at one another, before chuckling.

Ginny and Hermione hurriedly left the boys standing there, rushing to talk more about the wedding, even though they had a long time to prepare. Harry, Ron and Draco stood in the middle of the Great Hall. Ron took another glance at Draco, before beginning to walk away. Harry soon followed.

"Hey, Harry?" called out Draco, when Harry reached the Great Hall door. He began walking closer to him, before he spoke.

"Yeah?" said Harry when he turned to face Draco again.

he hesitated before speaking. "I was wondering. You don't have to if you don't want.. Would you be my best man when ever we do plan to have the wedding?" Harry stared at him in disbelieve.

"Me?" he asked, still in shock. "Why me?"

"I don't have anyone else to ask. Blaise is my only friend and I'm sure he wouldn't want to stand up there with me. I know Hermione would like it more if it were you standing there beside me too. " Harry didn't say anything immediately, but took time to think it over. "I understand if you don't want."

"No... No, I'll do it. If you really want me too, I will. Hermione _would _like it."

"Thank you." he put his hand out for Harry to shake. Without a hesitation, Harry took it.

"I'm warning you now, I will personally hurt you if you ever hurt her." said Harry with a smirk.

"No worries. That will never happen."

* * *

**A/N: This was so cheesy. Hahaha. But I wanted them to get married. Or it to go forth to announcing they would get married. Okay, vote time. Who thinks I should end the story here? Or write a chapter with their wedding?**


	28. A Wedding to Never Forget

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

**I think fanfiction hates me. It wasn't coming across that I was getting reviews for my chapter 27 at all. I'm not sure why. I just realized I was now when I checked my email. It is currently 343 in the morning and I'm waiting this, fair bit of warning in any case I have any mistakes.I'm also watching the fifth Harry Potter movie. **

**my apologizes for keeping you waiting for this chapter. I'm not going to sleep until this chapter is finished.**

**I'm aware that i most likely have a lot of grammar mistakes or anything along those lines, please don't bash me. Notice I'm up past midnight most the time when I'm writing these chapters!  
**

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**Chapter Twenty-Eight: A wedding to never forget  
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Hermione was a nervous wreak. Ginny and her were in the spare bedroom at the Malfoy Manor in preparation for the wedding that was only a week away. They had been planning for a year; it was to be the wedding of the century. Everything was completed. The château, which is located in France was where they placed the wedding. It set on an enchanted lake, where everyone who wanted to hike, ride horses and gather around with everyone could do so.

Narcissa had been such a help when Hermione needed it desperately. She helped pick the location of the wedding along with the wedding dress and the maid of honor dress. Hermione and Ginny had had the most difficult time to finding the perfect dress, and out of no where Narcissa had hired a private designer to design the dresses. Hermione couldn't have been more thrilled when the dresses were finally delivered to her, nine days before the big day.

She couldn't wait to finally step into her beautiful gown. It was even more beautiful then the dress she had worn to the Masquerade Ball she had attended with Draco a year before. It was tight on her upper body, with a blue ribbon that wrapped around her waist that folded into a bow behind. Then with the most elegant silk material it flowed down to the ground in waves. It fluttered behind at least a foot behind her when she walked.

Ginny couldn't have been more happier with her dress either. It was a simple dress, with the same silk material Hermione's was made from. It didn't flow down to the ground, but instead pulled tighter around her body. The upper part of the body was the same color as the bow on the wedding dress, and it came down to one side of the dress. It was wonderful. Both of the dresses were perfect for the girls.

"Are you nervous?" asked Ginny, happily as she watched Hermione roam around The Château, already in having the place prepared. She only stared at Ginny, with such an annoyance that she asked that question. They were both standing in the Church part of the castle, where Hermione would walked down the aisle. Flowers were placed at every beginning of the benches, with blue ribbons at each one. The aisle had a red carpet that went down, and Hermione had a charm planned, the ceiling of the building would be enchanted like Hogwarts was, with the sky the perfect shade of blue, and enchanted birds flying around.

The next room was when the reception would be. The long table where the bride, maid of honor, groom and best man sat was in front of the room. It had a white cloth placed on top of it. The wedding glasses and the wedding plates were on the table alright. Half of the room was filled with the tables the guests would sit at while the rest of the room was the dance floor. The white plates with the glasses were already set on the tables; Hermione and Ginny grinned at how well they done.

"Hermione, this looks amazing!" said two voices behind the two girls. They turned to see Narcissa standing with Harry at the entrance of the room.

"It looks so wonderful. You did an excellent job." cried Narcissa. "I truly cannot wait until you are my daughter in law. I'm thrilled you went with my location suggestion too."

"Thank you, Narcissa." said Hermione happily at her future Mother in law.

"'Mione, can I speak with you for a minute?" asked Harry, his voice off.

"Sure, Harry." she followed him out of the room, walking outside the building away from Ginny and Narcissa. "Harry, what is it?"

He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He sighed, before asking. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he finally asked.

Hermione stared at him, surprised. "What do you mean, Harry?"

"Are you sure you want to get married?"

"Yes.." she said dragging the word out. She didn't have any idea where this was suddenly coming from. The entire year of planning he had helped, not saying one word about a disapproving of the wedding. Hell! He even agreed to be the best man, for Draco's sake. "Where is this coming from?"

"I just wanted to make sure. I don't know, we're still so young. It's only been a year since we've been out of Hogwarts. I just feel as if you may be too young."

"Harry, Draco and I love each other so why do we need to wait to be married? I want to be with him. If we weren't getting married now, we would soon or a later in the future anyway."

"Then why rush things?"

"Harry! What is it with you? I want to be married now! If I didn't, I wouldn't have said yes! He asked everyone to make sure it was alright before he even asked me. I don't recall ever hearing you objecting."

He hesitated. She knew she was right. She had heard the story countless times from Ginny on how Draco had asked them if it was acceptable by them that he asked for her hand in marriage.

"I know Hermione.."

"I don't have time for this, I have to make sure everything is in correct order." she stalked away from him. He stood outside in the warm weather as he walked her walk up the steps back into the building. He felt ashamed of himself now for bringing himself to talking to her about it.

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Hermione was beyond nervous. She was standing in front of her mirror in the dressing room while Ginny was in front her putting her make up on. She took one good look at herself when Ginny finished; she had to give it to the girl. She was beyond amazing with making people look breathtaking. Her hair had been pinned up, a few lose strains of her curly hair fell down to her face. With little cover up needed, she had eyeliner on that brought out her brown eyes, with brown eye shadow and her face with just enough glitter to make her face shimmer in the light.

"Gosh, I'm brilliant." said Ginny when she stepped away from Hermione to take a good look at her piece of work.

Hermione smiled, "Thank you, Ginny."

Hermione turned, to look at the side view of herself in the mirror. She really did look stunning in her dress and she couldn't wait to walk down the aisle and see Draco's face. He hadn't seen her dress because she wouldn't allow it. Only Narcissa, Hermione, Ginny and the designer knew what it looked like. Even Ginny looked brilliant in her white and blue dress. Ginny came over to Hermione, taking both of her bare arms.

"Relax, my beautiful friend!" said Ginny, shaking her arms. "You've got this under control! Everyone is going to be fazed by your beauty! Draco won't know what hit him!" she chuckled. "All of the men waiting are going to be so incredibly jealous."

"Ha! Jealous that they ignored me for the seven years at Hogwarts."

"That's the spirit! Even though you always have been beautiful!" Hermione pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm so glad I have you, Ginny. I don't know what I'd do without you. Thank you."

"It's never a problem. Are you ready?" Hermione let out a deep breath, and nodded. Her father was waiting for her outside of the door, he smiled ear to ear when he glanced to Hermione.

"Hermione." he said, putting his arm out for her to take. "You are the most beautiful girl."

Hermione wanted to cry. No one could ever be as happy as she was at that given moment. Taking her father's arm, Ginny walked in front of them. Hermione took another breath, this was the last moment she would be known as Hermione Jean Granger. In the next hour she would be, Hermione Jean Malfoy. A feeling she was already getting used too. She couldn't help but to smile as she thought about it.

"Ready?" said Ginny, over her shoulder.

"Yes!" whispered Hermione, happily. Ginny cued the wedding music and Hermione heart began to pound in her chest when the wedding march began. Her father squeezed her arm gently, knowing what she was feeling.

"I'm so proud of you, dear." he said calmly.

"I love you, dad."

"Love you too."

They began to walk. When Hermione thought the week before about her plans being perfect with the room; she had been mistaken. The final detail was beyond perfect from her imagine she had in her imagination. The enchanted ceiling was crystal blue, and the birds chirped as they flew within the sky. Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face. She saw an entire row taken with the Weasley family, Mrs. Weasley gripping tightly onto Ron's arm as they were smiling happily at her. All of the teachers she had invited from Hogwarts sat in front of the Weasley family, Albus Dumbledore closest to her, his bright blue eyes twinkling at her. Then she spotted her mother, sitting beside Narcissa. What surprised her most was they were both holding each others hands, tears slipping out of their eyes from being so happily for their only children.

Hermione finally looked at Draco. He couldn't take her eyes away from Hermione, like they were glued to her. He looked happier then she did. His face was paler then it normally was and Hermione knew he was just as nervous as she was. Harry was standing close behind him, afraid that the groom was going to faint. She was suddenly sorry that she hadn't spoken to Harry since the incident a week before. She knew he hadn't meant any harm

The music stopped and Hermione stood in front of the priest, Draco, Harry and Ginny. The priest coughed before he began to speak.

"We are gathered together on this beautiful afternoon to share the love between Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." Hermione began to shake in nerves. "I ask, who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"I, Edward Granger give my daughters hand to Draco Malfoy." Draco, putting out his shaking hand with nerves out, Hermione takes it. Kissing her father on the cheek, she walks up to stand directly in front of Draco. The priest cleared his throat before beginning.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company to join together this Man and this Woman in Holy matrimony; Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger.

Draco, wilt thou have this woman to the wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the hoyl estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"

Without an hesitation, Draco spoke. "I do." he said rather loudly. Hermione almost giggled.

"Hermione, Wilt thou have this Man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I do." she said, smiling once again to her soon to be husband.

"The rings please?" asked the priest. Ginny, pulling out Draco's ring, handed it to Hermione. Draco took Hermione's ring from Harry. Draco took Hermione's right hand and placed the ring on her fourth finger.

"I, Draco take Hermione to my wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." In Hermione's turn, she placed her ring on Draco's finger on his right hand.

"I, Hermione take thee Draco to my wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth."

The priest took a hold of Hermione and Draco's hands. "WITH this Ring I thee wed: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. You may kiss the bride."

Draco placed his hand on Hermione's cheek and pulled her into a passionate kiss. "God, you look incredible. I can't get over it." he said in her mouth. She laughed as everyone in the room began to applause.

"I didn't think this was ever going to end!" she took his hand in hers.

"I know what you mean, Mrs. Hermione Malfoy." she giggled.

"I love the way that sounds."

"As do I."

"Draco, I love you."

"I love you, Hermione. Always."

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**PLEASE READ THISSSSSSSSS!!!!!! Longest chapter I've ever written. GOD.! I thought it wasn't going to end. I just couldn't end it haha.  
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**SO! I can either have two chapters left or one. I can write one more chapter with going into the wedding reception and then an epilogue. Or just go straight to the epilogue. what do you guys think ?It's now 6am. It took me three hours to write this chapter. Holy bananas :( Oh well. Hope you enjoy this enough.**

**I hope the wedding thing isn't off completely. I tried, I got most of it off google!  
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	29. A Wedding Reception

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

**I'm glad you guys enjoyed my wedding chapter. I was afraid you wouldn't like it. **

**By the way, in previous chapters I mentioned to having a few other stories in line after this one. Well, I have begun writing the Hermione/Tom Riddle story. I haven't decided what I'm naming it yet, but please travel over to that story once it's up. I'm hoping to have the first chapter up by tonight or tomorrow for the story. Reviews are appreciated. I'm hoping I get as much as a good response to that story as I did for this one. **

**You guys make me want to become a professional writer. Haha :)**

seriana14 **your review made me laugh really hard. I DID consider killing Draco in that one chapter when Hermione thought he was dead.. but at last second, I couldn't. **

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine: A wedding Reception **

After the long process of actually become Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy, Hermione and Draco stood, arms linked together waiting to walk into the reception hall. Everyone was traveling to the new hall to celebrate more of the marriage. Draco was still having the worst difficulty taking his eyes off Hermione, as she was with him. They were so incredibly happy belonging to each other.

"Marriage laws require that you do everything I say." said Draco, with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, is that so? I'm not sure you're following the right time laws." she asked, a hint of attitude filling in her voice.

"Yes, and I say that you kiss me." she rolled her eyes. Moved forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "No, don't stop yet." he said when she pushed him away.

"Yes, we have forever to kiss each other. We have to go inside. Everyone is waiting!" she said happily. He linked his arms with hers again and followed her as she pushed through the white doors into the reception hall. Everyone who were seated at the white round tables looked up to the beautiful couple as they walked through the doors. People began to clap; Hermione heard Harry and Ron whistle somewhere. She spotted Ginny, sitting close to Blaise.

"Think their next?" said Hermione, compressing a laugh as she pointed to Ginny and Blaise.

He smiled, "I don't know. He says he's in love with her."

Hermione shot a glance at him. "What? They haven't said that to each other though, right?"

"Nope."

"She loves him too."

They walked to the table where Narcissa and both of Hermione's parents sat. The food was already placed the two chairs they were too sit at and Hermione realized then how hungry she was. They both sat at their large chairs and looked around. Most of the Hogwart's teachers were together, Dumbledore was sitting with Harry, discussing nothing she would have been able to think of. Ron was sitting with his family, beside Harry's table. She spotted, Luna, Viktor Krum and most of the students that were in her year when she still went to school roaming about.

"Hermione, congratulations." said Seamus and Dean Thomas as they walked up the table to say a quick hello. "Congratulations, Malfoy." they said to Draco, as they shook his hand.

"Thank you, guys." said Hermione politely, returning back to her plate of food.

"'Herms. Come dance with me." whispered Draco in her ear. Her meal would never be finished. She took the hand Draco offered her and he guided her to the ball floor. A slow song immediately began to play when they walked up. Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and pulled her close so their foreheads touched each other and they stared at each others eyes.

"I'm so glad I married you." said Draco as his lips brushed against hers.

"Can you believe coming from all of the insults when we were younger.. Look where we are now." as she recalled those six years that he verbally attacked her.

"Who would have thought!"

"May I cut in?" said Harry from behind Hermione. Draco looked back to him, nodded once before kissing Hermione's hand and returning to their long table to Narcissa. Hermione put her arms around his neck as Harry put his hands on her waist.

"Hello, Harry." she said, not letting the words he had last said to her come to mind.

"Hermione." he said quietly. "Listen, I never meant to hurt your feelings to what I said to you last week. I shouldn't have said it. It's not my business."

"I understand, Harry. You're just trying to look after me. I know what I'm doing, I want to be where I am right now."

"I know, I understand that now.." he sighed. "You didn't tell anyone else did you?"

"No, it's between the two of us."

"Keep it that way, okay?" Hermione nodded. She understood well enough. "I have given it deep thought though."

"Given what thought?"

"About him and you."

"And?"

"You're perfect for one another." he spun her around, Hermione noticed that Draco didn't stop staring at them. Hermione blew him a kiss. "You really are. You two are the smartest from our year at Hogwarts. You two never seem to leave each other alone. It's like you each others other half.. I wish I had that."

"I'm sure you will one day. What about Luna? The both of you seemed to enjoy each others company."

"She still has another year at school. I'll never see her. I do enjoy being around her, she's different. Always keeps me entertained."

"Then she's worth the wait. Hell, I wanted six years. Even though during that time we both loathed each other. But look where I am now. Happiest girl in the world." the song ended and they both let go of each other.

"Perhaps you're right."

"Always am." she smiled to him. He took her hand and kissed it before leaving her as Ron walked up to her.

"I suppose I need to ask you for a dance too." he said cheekily.

"Of course." Hermione gave her hand out and he took it. She saw Ginny walk up to Draco making him come back out to the dance floor to dance with her. She started laughing when Hermione looked at her and narrowed her eyes.

"Don't worry, Hermione!" she called out as more people joined them on the dance floor.

"Next is the father daughter dance, is he ready?" asked Ginny, pointing to Hermione's father who was talking to her mother and Narcissa about something that seemed to anger him.

"I doubt that." Ron twirled her as she spoke across to Ginny and Draco did the same to Ginny.

"Mr. Granger, please find the bride on the dance floor." Edward looked up, spotting Hermione with Ron. He gulped. "It's the father daughter dance." he looked over to his wife before getting up from his seat and walking out onto the dance floor toward Hermione.

"May I?" he said to Ron who backed away so he could take Hermione in his arms. Ron sat down beside Mrs. Weasley and watched as the others danced. Mr. Weasley had taken Ginny from Draco and began to dance with her. He then took Narcissa to the dance floor and stood near Hermione and Edward.

"What were you three just talking about?" asked Hermione when he hadn't said anything.

"I asked her what the term _mudblood _meant. I just remembered you talking about it once a few years ago. We were on the topic of it."

"What! Why would you do that!"

"I was only curious about how things were in your world.. I didn't mean any harm to it. Then she explained how some pureblood witches are about it."

"Dad, that's ridiculous. You should have asked me instead."

"I did several years ago. You wouldn't tell me. Don't get worked up over it; it was just a conversation." Hermione raised her eyebrows. "He's a great man, Hermione. I know he will treat you well."

Hermione smiled as she watched Draco twirl his mother, they were both smiling and laughing at one another and he looked up to Hermione to catch her gaze, and she saw the burst of energy in his eyes.

"I know he will."

Hermione and Draco had ended up dancing with half of the guests that were in the room. Both of their feet hurting from the stood alone on the dance floor, Hermione slid off her heels and placed them near the end of their table and rushed into Draco's arms.

"One last dance, Hermione. Just us." said Draco, pleading with her. She sighed.

"This is my last dance! My feet are going to fall off!"

"Thank you." they began to dance around the ballroom floor as if they owned the place. Which technically they should have from the amount of money they spent on everything. But that was the last thing that Hermione was worried about. She couldn't wait for her future to begin with Draco already. Anything it had to offer her, or try to throw at her negatively; she was ready for it.


	30. AUTHOR NOTE!

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

**I'm posting this to tell you guys I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update in the past few days. I've been rather busy, but I'm going to be posting a chapter very soon. Of my epilogue!**

**a few of you have also asked, but my story involving Tom Riddle and Hermione Granger is called **_Amour Interdit_** which happens to mean Forbidden love in French! I found it to be ****appropriate! haha. **

**I'll have at least the first chapter posted very shortly! Please check it out. I'm hoping you all think its good. **

**Thank you for all of the people that continued reading my story from the beginning.**

I've been asked to write another Draco/Hermione story which I plan to do. I haven't finished the first chapter yet.

My best advice is to just add me on your favorite authors so you are informed when I write a new story. I'm only working on the Ridde/Granger and Malfoy/Granger.

Stay tuned!! :) 3


	31. Epilogue

_**A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.**_

**I've never written one of these before so this might not be what ones were 's probably horrible. **

**Ah, well I have two chapters up for my Tom/Hermione story. That means. GO CHECK IT OUT and leave reviews!  
**

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**Epilogue**:

It had been fourteen years since Draco and Hermione had wed. She still had her three best friends and loved them more then ever for everything they had done for her. Harry had managed to get the courage to take Hermione's advice and a year later, Harry and Luna were having their turn to get married. Ginny took the advantage and several months later married Blaise, a wedding that many people never would have believed to happen.

After several years of working further to gaining better treatment of house-elves before she gained a promotion to Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Draco followed by becoming an auror along the side of Harry. Ginny began to play in a woman ledge for Qudditch and was a seeker for her British team and had taken a break when she had discovered she was pregnant. Ron not needed to do much, took a spot to help his brother George at his joke shop.

They were all incredibly happy and built a neighborhood that they all lived in. They were never apart from each other more then a few days. So when they began to have children, the ladies were pregnant nearly around the same time. So their children always had another to play with.

The three couples were finally back at the platform of 9 3/4 to board the Hogwarts train. Hermione was so excited; she hadn't been back since her last time she was at Hogwarts. She had felt like a first year all over. Draco stood beside her, as their two children were on the side of him staring at the Hogwarts Express. It was their older sons turn to board the train; Tristan Malfoy. A year following his birth their second child came and named her Audrey Malfoy.

"Mum? Why can't I go this year?" asked little Audrey who took the resembled her father greatly. Her gray eyes stared up to her mum in anger as she wanted to go to Hogwarts a year early. "I'm smarter then Tristan! I want to go now!"

"Audrey, you will have your turn next year!" said Draco, who took his daughters hand. Hermione knelled down in front of her son and she could feel the tears forming in her eyes. Her son was her child that resembled her greatly. He had Draco's hair, but his facial features were hers. He was gentle and loving like Hermione, but Audrey had her mother's intelligence.

"You'll do great this year, Tristan. Write to me every week. Tell me how little James does too, alright?" Hermione kissed his forehead as he saw Harry, Luna, Ginny and Blaise walking over with their children following them."

"Can you believe it's their turn? I feel like it was yesterday we were still at Hogwarts." said Harry as he hugged Hermione then shook Draco's hand.

"It makes me want to go back." said Ginny as she hugged onto her youngest child.

"Audrey is ready to go now." said Draco as he looked down to his little one who was standing close to him with her arms wrapped around her chest. The train's whistle blew and Tristan and James who had been talking amongst themselves jumped in surprise.

"Tristan, one last hug!" said Hermione as she hugged him tightly.

"Mum, stop it. Let me go!" he said, as he stared at Draco. "Bye Audrey. I'll mail you something from Hogwarts."

"A toilet seat perhaps?" said Ginny, almost laughing as she remembered what her older brother had said to her a year before she could go to school.

"Don't give him any ideas!" said Hermione under her breath.

"Hermione, it's time for him to go." said Draco, trying to hide his smile. "You better behave! Try to be the best in the class." said Draco as he hugged Tristan for the last time.

"I will! Bye!" he ran onto the train with James, and popped their head outside of a window to wave goodbye as the train began to move forward.

"They grow up to quick." said Hermione as she continued to wave until the train couldn't be seen anymore as it went through the tunnel. The other adults around her, nodded their heads. "Then next year its Audrey, Albus and Abby's turn!"

"At least we know they wont be alone." said Ginny as they walked out of the train station together. "I hope they don't stay in trouble or danger as much as we did."

"Well most the time we were also trying to stop a mad, muggle-born hater. " remarked Hermione.

"Ah don't say that." said Draco as they got in their cars to travel home.

"Come over for lunch, you lot." said Hermione before they all shut their doors.

"Good, I'm starving!" said Ron.

"He will never change." said Hermione to Draco as she buckled Audrey in the back. Draco began to laugh.

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